Ferruccio Ulivi
Ferruccio Ulivi was an esteemed Italian novelist, historian, and literary critic, recognized for his insightful criticism and historically rich fiction. Born in 1912 in Borgo San Lorenzo, near Florence, he was deeply engaged in the vibrant cultural scene of Florence during his studies at the University of Florence, graduating in 1934. While his works were primarily appreciated within Italy and not widely translated, he gained a reputation as a leading scholar of Italian literature, particularly focusing on the Renaissance and the eighteenth century, including the poet Alessandro Manzoni.
Ulivi’s literary career began later in life, with his first fiction published in 1977, consisting of interconnected novellas inspired by notable literary figures. His writing often reflects themes of faith and the human experience, influenced by his Roman Catholic beliefs and the artistic nuances of Renaissance visual art. He authored a significant historical novel-cum-biography, "La staniera," which delves into Manzoni's life, alongside various other academic contributions and voluminous criticism. Ulivi's style is characterized by clarity and an evocative atmosphere, with a penchant for exploring existential questions about the divine. He remained active in his literary pursuits until his passing in 2002.
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Ferruccio Ulivi
- Born: September 10, 1912
- Birthplace: Borgo San Lorenzo, Tuscany, Italy
- Died: 2002
Biography
Italian novelist, historian, scholar, and literary critic Ferruccio Ulivi was well known for his prolific and erudite criticism and his richly allusive and historically precise fiction. Although his works were not widely translated, he was popular with the Italian reading public and was one of the most respected scholars of Italian literature.
Ulivi was born in 1912 in the Tuscan city of Borgo San Lorenzo, near Florence, the son of Francesco Giovanni and Cantini Direa. He graduated from the University of Florence in 1934. As a student, he was an active participant in the rich Florentine culture and began his writing career in Florence, contributing articles to the local periodicals Campo di Marte, Corrente, and Letteratura. Ulivi credited his experiences at Campo di Marte in particular with shaping him as a writer.
Like many academics, Ulivi’s biography reflected the intellectualism of his pursuits. He lived in Rome continually since 1941, the year of his marriage. He held appointments at the Universities of Perugia and Rome, and he joined the faculty of the University of Bari in 1954 as a professor of Italian literature. Ulivi’s specializations were the Renaissance and the eighteenth century, particularly eighteenth century poet Alessandro Manzoni. In 1991, Ulivi published a meticulously researched historical novel-cum-biography, La staniera, about Manzoni’s personal life.
Ulivi published extensively as an academic, producing more than a dozen volumes and numerous articles of historical and literary criticism in diverse journals, including Convivium, Nuova Antologia, Paragone, and Rassegna della letteratura italiana. He edited several volumes of early Italian literature and contributed introductions to several more.
Ulivi published his first work of fiction in 1977, when he was almost sixty-five years old. This novel, E le cenari al vento, is actually a cluster of four interrelated novellas; each novella was inspired by and commented on a significant writer, Giacomo Leopardi, Oscar Wilde, and Torquato Tasso, in addition to Ulivi’s beloved Manzoni.
Despite his late start, Ulivi became a prolific and appreciated novelist. His writing style is clear and incisive and he frequently invokes a suspenseful and mysterious atmosphere. Much of his writing draws heavily on his Roman Catholic faith, in particular a fictionalized biography of the biblical Judas, Trenta denari, and a biography of Joseph of Nazareth, the father of Jesus, Come il tragitto di una stella: Giuseppe di Nazareth, sogne, amore, e solitudine. Ulivi’s philosophical perspective is influenced by the contemplative approach to life and faith characteristic of the scholarly Catholic orders, and he claimed that the central questions of all of his novels involved the presence and absence of God. Ulivi also acknowledged a strong metaphorical influence of Renaissance visual art and the interplay of light and color on his writing. Ulivi reveled in ambiguity, a trait which critics believe contributed to the realism of his characterizations.
Ulivi had two children. He retained good health into his eighties and continued to write until he died in 2002.