Lucio Piccolo
Lucio Piccolo was an Italian poet born on October 27, 1901, in Palermo, Italy, into a family of Sicilian aristocracy. He was closely related to the writer Prince Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, with whom he shared a strong familial bond. Following the death of his father in 1933, Piccolo's family relocated to Capo d'Orlando, where the rich historical and architectural heritage of the region significantly influenced his poetic style. Although he did not pursue a formal university education, Piccolo was a self-taught intellectual with interests spanning various disciplines, including mathematics, music, and languages.
He began publishing his poetry later in life, with his first collection, *Canti barocchi e altre liriche*, released in 1956 to critical acclaim. This marked the beginning of his recognition, further solidified by subsequent works such as *Gioco a nascondere* in 1960, which showcased his unique use of baroque imagery and musicality in his writing. His final collection, *Plumelia*, was published in 1967. Lucio Piccolo passed away in 1969, but his work continues to resonate, bridging the baroque style with themes of existentialism, earning him a notable place in twentieth-century Italian poetry. His poetry was translated into English in 1972, expanding his audience beyond Italy.
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Lucio Piccolo
Writer
- Born: October 27, 1901
- Birthplace: Palermo, Italy
- Died: May 26, 1969
Biography
Lucio Piccolo was born on October 27, 1901, in Palermo, Italy, to Giuseppe and Teresa Tasca Filangeri Piccolo. Piccolo was a baron, descended from Sicilian aristocracy. The writer Prince Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa was Piccolo’s first cousin and the two were very close. During his youth, Piccolo lived in Palermo with his family. His father died in 1933, and at that time the family moved to Capo d’Orlando, where they settled on the family estate.
Piccolo’s brother Casimiro was deeply interested in the occult, as well as painting and photography. His sister Giovanna Agate studied botany. The three young people were interested in ancient myths, and frequented the antique churches and castles of the area. These old and mysterious buildings and landscapes became important influences on Piccolo’s poetry.
Although Piccolo studied at Liceo Garibaldi, he did not complete a university degree. Nevertheless, although largely self-taught, he was an exceedingly well-educated man, studying on his own many different subjects ranging from mathematics to music. He read many languages, including Greek, Spanish, French, English, and Arabic.
Piccolo was well into middle age before he began to publish his poetry. His first volume, Canti barocchi e altre liriche, was published in 1956. The poet Eugenio Montale gave the volume a positive review, leading to Piccolo’s later success, in spite of the difficulty of his poetry. In 1960, he published another poetry collection, Gioco a nascondere. Critics noted the similarity between this work and Il Gattopardo (1958; The Leopard, 1960), written by his cousin Lampedusa.
Piccolo called upon his memories of old castles and baroque churches as the source for his imagery and lyricism. In addition, in much of his work he drew on his own knowledge of musicology to compose poems that resemble symphonies in structure. The final work published during his lifetime was his poetry collection Plumelia (1967).
In 1969, Piccolo died of a stroke while at home. Although his contemporaries often considered his work anachronistic, Piccolo contributed to twentieth century Italian poetry through his linking of the baroque with existential questioning. The translation of his work into English in 1972 provided a wider audience for this important Italian poet.