Sulle strade del teatro: l’epico viaggio della compagnia teatrale di Giovanni Battista Locatelli verso San Pietroburgo attraverso il “Racconto breve”di Angelo Carboni

This article is dedicated to the journey undertaken by the Bolognese painter Angelo Carboni from Italy to Saint Petersburg in the mid-eighteenth century, together with the theatrical company led by Giambattista Locatelli. At the centre of the study is the Racconto breve del lungo viaggio intrapreso, proseguito e terminato sino a Peterburgh dal signor Angelo Carboni cittadino bolognese, pittore, written by Carboni and presented in transcription in the second part of the contribution. The source provides valuable information on eighteenth-century travel practices, including the duration of the journey, the itinerary followed, the costs involved, as well as the dangers that travellers might encounter, such as a violent storm in the Baltic Sea or arrest on charges of espionage. Alongside these practical aspects, the testimony offers reflections on how an eighteenth-century artist perceived relocation abroad. The transcription is accompanied by an apparatus of notes and an introductory essay aimed at contextualising the journey within the framework of the European activity of Giambattista Locatelli’s theatrical company. A central element of the contribution is the systematic comparison between Carboni’s account and contemporary documentary sources, which has made it possible to clarify the historical context and assess the degree of reliability of the testimony. In this way, the article contributes to the study of artistic mobility, travel practices, and the cultural networks linking Italy and Russia in the eighteenth century.