« Mutua litterarum missione exterorum, eruditorum hominum » L’épistolographie dans le projet culturel de Frédéric Borromée

Based on in-depth knowledge of the holdings of the Ambrosienne library and their history, this article reveals the significance that the epistolary exchange held at the heart of the cultural project of the cardinal-archbishop of Milan, the founder of this famous institution (in 1609). Correspondence with learned individuals from across Europe ensured that doctors, who made up the college of the library, could acquire and also divulge knowledge.