 Hence, by the standards of his day, Porta’s ceaseless endeavors were neither unsophisticated, undignified, nor disingenuous. Quite on the contrary, Porta’s activities could well rank as privileges of members of the upper classes, and especially so as long as they were geared towards theatricality, and the planning of devices of wonder. Accordingly, during the seventeenth century Porta was perceived as a virtuoso rather than as a natural magician. (Jalobeanu 2020). As many scholars have aptly pointed out, such artifacts did not necessarily need to be useful or effective or to engender rational reflection. The production of marvel was a respectable end in itself (Wolfe 2004 Lazardzig 2008 Eming, 2020).