The author offers a revisionist biography of Giuseppe Balsamo, known as Cagliostro, combining archival research and contemporary documents to separate rumor from fact. He traces the subject's career in occult practices and public notoriety, re-examines accusations of imposture and involvement in scandals, and details related investigations and trials. The text alternates narrative biography with source criticism, commentary on freemasonry and magic, and an extensive bibliography aimed at correcting misconceptions and reassessing the historical record.