Gian Pietro Lucini
Gian Pietro Lucini was an Italian poet and novelist born on September 20, 1867, in Milan into an aristocratic family. His health was a significant challenge, as he suffered from tuberculosis of the bone from a young age, leading to a leg amputation in 1909. Lucini graduated from the University of Pavia with a law degree but was unable to pursue a legal career due to his health issues, prompting him to focus on literature instead. His literary contributions began with his first poetry collection, *Il libro delle figurazioni ideali*, published in 1894, followed by the novel *Gian Pietro da Core*, which highlighted the struggles of agricultural workers. He became associated with the Futurist movement, collaborating with Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, and was recognized for his innovative poetry, particularly in the 1909 collection *Revolerate*. However, by 1912, Lucini distanced himself from Futurism due to its violent ideology. He passed away on July 13, 1914, from pneumonia, shortly before a scheduled second amputation. Though his work faded from prominence after his death, he experienced a revival of interest in the 1960s and 1970s, establishing him as an important figure in early 20th-century avant-garde literature.
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Gian Pietro Lucini
Poet
- Born: September 30, 1867
- Birthplace: Milan, Italy
- Died: July 13, 1914
Biography
Gian Pietro Lucini was born into an aristocratic family on September 20, 1867, in Milan, Italy. At the age of nine, he developed tuberculosis of the bone, which eventually caused him to have a leg amputated in 1909. He graduated from the University of Pavia in 1882 with a degree in law. After completing his studies, he spent much of his time in the mountains at a villa built by his father in Breglia in order to improve his health. He cultivated his friendships largely through writing letters.
Unable to pursue a career in law because of his health, Lucini turned to literature. In 1895, he became a partner in Galli Publishing House, a financially unsuccessful endeavor that ended eighteen months later. In 1896, he married Giuditta Cattaneom; his parents disapproved of the marriage. His first collection of poetry, Il libro delle figurazioni ideali, was published in 1894. His novel, Gian Pietro da Core, which documented the working conditions of agricultural workers, was first published in 1895, and republished in 1974.
Lucini collaborated with Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, a leader in the Futurist movement who began publishing the journal Poesia in 1905. The height of Lucini’s poetic career is encapsulated by his 1909 collection Revolerate, which was published by Poesia and included a preface written by Marinetti on Futurism. Poems in the collection were experimental and written in free verse. It was republished in 1975 under the title Revolverate e nuove revolverate. By 1912, Lucini had become dissatisfied with Futurist ideology, particularly its relationship to violence, and had broken away from the movement.
Lucini died on July 13, 1914, from pneumonia, just before the scheduled amputation of his second leg. His posthumously published works include the epistolary novelLa piccola Chelidonio, first published in 1922, and republished in 1991 under the title La piccola Kelidonia. Lucini is recognized as a key figure in avant-garde twentieth century Italian literature. Though largely forgotten after his death, he regained a surge in popularity in the 1960’s, with many of his volumes appearing in print during the 1970’s.