Aldo Palazzeschi
Aldo Palazzeschi, born Aldo Giurani in 1885 in Florence, Italy, was a notable writer and poet known for his contributions to Italian literature and Futurism. He initially pursued a career in acting, publishing his first collection of poems at a young age, but found limited success in theater. Palazzeschi's literary journey included a variety of genres, with significant works such as his first Futurist novel, "Il codice di Perelà," and the acclaimed "Sorelle Materassi," which solidified his place in the Italian literary landscape.
His writings often reflected his personal experiences and views, particularly his pacifist sentiments post-World War I. Throughout the 1930s, he distanced himself from political involvement, focusing instead on his creative endeavors. Palazzeschi also gained recognition for his literary sketches and adaptations for the stage, earning several accolades, including the Premio Viareggio. He spent his later years in Rome after the deaths of his parents, continuing to produce work until his passing in 1974. His legacy is marked by a blend of innovative style and a distinctive perspective on life and society.
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Subject Terms
Aldo Palazzeschi
Poet
- Born: February 2, 1885
- Birthplace: Florence, Italy
- Died: August 8, 1974
- Place of death: Rome, Italy
Biography
Aldo Palazzeschi was the pseudonym of Aldo Giurani, who was born in Florence, Italy, in 1885, the son of Alberto Giurlani, a clothier, and Amalia Martinelli Giurlani. Even at an early age he demonstrated his rebellion against the bourgeois life of his parents when he unsuccessfully attempted to throw himself out of a window. He went on to study accounting at the Instituto Tecnico L. B. Alberti, but he left in 1902 and enrolled in acting school.
In 1905, he published at his own expense I cavalla bianchi, a collection of poems he had written in school, but they attracted little interest. The next year, despite his parents’ objections, he joined a theater company, but he became disappointed with the roles he was given and returned to Florence. Another self-published volume of poems appeared in 1907, followed by his novel :Riflessi, which features fire, windows, and family decay and, like much of his work, contains autobiographical material. In 1909, he published another book of poetry and also met Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, the founder of Futurism and his mentor.
His first Futurist novel, Il codice di Perelà: Romanzo futurista (1911; Perelà, the Man of Smoke, 1936) was published in 1911, and two years later he collaborated in the founding of Lacerba, a journal that included some of his poems. Il controdolore, his Futurist manifesto, in which he espoused a philosophy of laughter, first appeared in Lacerba in 1914.
After a trip to Paris, during which he wrote some poems in French, he drifted away from the nationalistic Futurists. Just before World War I broke out, he returned to Florence, was drafted, and served as an office clerk during the war. After the war he outlined his pacifist feelings in his writings. He then published a book of short stories and a novel before returning to France in 1930, where he met Filippo De Pisis, an artist who also influenced him. His Stampe dell’800, a collection of literary sketches set in Florence, reflects this artistic influence. Two years later, his novel, Sorelle Materassi (1934; The Sisters Materassi, 1953), brought him to the forefront of Italian literature and gained him new readers.
During the 1930’s, Palazzeschi stayed away from politics and moved to his family’s house in Settignano, near Florence. After his mother died in 1938 and his father died in 1949, he moved to Rome, where he spent the rest of his life. He later condemned both the Italian and German fascists for their conduct during the war. His novel I fratelli Cuccoli, published in 1948, won the Premio Viareggio. He adapted his novel Roma (1953; Roma, 1965) for a play that was staged in 1954. Palazzeschi won the Premio dell’Accademia in 1957, and in 1962 he received an honorary degree from the University of Padua. He died in Rome in 1974 and is buried in Florence.