CRESCIMBENI, GIOVANNI MARIO DE', an Italian poet, and literary historian, born in 1663 at Macerata, in the march of Ancona. His father, who was a jurist, designed him for the profession of law; but a residence in Rome having developed his poetical talents, he addressed himself to the task of effecting a reformation in the prevailing school of Italian poetry. With this view he projected the establishment of a new academy, under the name of Arcadia; the members of which used to meet in the open air, at a place which they were accustomed to call the Bosco Parrasio. They called themselves the shepherds of Arcadia, and each took the name of some shepherd and some place in that ancient kingdom. Of this society Crescimbeni was appointed chief director in 1690, and was re-elected at every Olympiad till his death, which took place in 1728.
In Niceron a list is given of his works, the principal of which are, Istoria della volgare Poesia, Rome, 1698, 4to; I Commentarij intorno alla detta Istoria, 5 vols. 4to; Le Vite de' più celebri poeti
Provenzali tradotte dal Francese, e accresciuti di moltissimi poeti, Rome, 1772, 4to; Trattato della bellezza della volgare Poesia, Rome, 1700, 4to; Istoria d'Arcadia, Rome, 1709, 4to; Istoria della Basilica di S. Maria in Comedina col ritratto di molte altre chiese di Roma, Rome, 1715, 1710, 4to; Istoria della chiesa di S. Giovanni a porta Latina, Rome, 1716, 4to; Istoria della Basilica di S. Anastasio, Rome, 1722, 4to; Stato della sacrosanta chiesa papale Lateranense, Rome, 1724, 4to; Omelie e Orazioni di papa Clemente XI., volgarizzate, Florence, 1704, 4to, Venice, 1714, 8vo; Vita de' Monsignori Gio. Maria Lanzi, medico di Papa Clemente XI., Rome, 1721, 4to; Vita di Monsignor Gabriele Fiapucci, Rome, 1724, 4to; Atti della coronazione del Cavalier Perfetti, fatta in Campidoglio, Rome, 1725, 4to; L'Elvio, favola pastorale, Rome, 1695, 8vo; Rime del Crescimbeni, Rome, 1695, 12mo; Gli Apologie di Bernardino Baldi tradotti in versi, Rome, 1702, 12mo; Compendio della vita della beatissima Vergine, Rome, 1721, 16mo; besides a number of works edited by him.