Charlatans of the Enlightenment Christoph Kaufmann and Alessandro Cagliostro

This article explores the notion of the charlatan in the late 18th century on two complementary levels. Firstly, the ridiculization of charlatanry was an important rethoric device in setting up moral boundaries and educative objectives inside the public sphere. Secondly, the charlatans' performances were adaptated according to the religious expectations of the target audiences. It follows that they mirror to a certain extent more important shifts in religious history outside the realm of institutionalized religion and contributed to the actualization, popularization and dissemination of various religious topics. While Kaufmann's performative register responded chiefly to rousseauist expectations of healing and guiding mankind to its true nature, Cagliostro's more elaborate resources essentially stressed the importance of invisible forces and a universal deistic model. © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden.