Mario Praz
Mario Praz was an influential Italian scholar and author, born in Rome on September 6, 1896. He earned advanced degrees in law and literature, demonstrating a diverse intellectual background. Praz taught English at various universities in the UK before returning to Italy, where he became a professor at the University of Rome from 1934 until his retirement in 1966. Throughout his prolific career, he published around forty books and thousands of articles, with notable works including "The Romantic Agony," which explored the darker aspects of Romantic literature, and "House of Life," a semi-autobiographical reflection on art and personal relationships.
Praz was known for his interdisciplinary approach, linking literature with music and visual arts, and he was a strong advocate for this methodology in scholarship. His writings displayed a rich stylistic flair, and he received numerous accolades, including the British Academy's Gold Medal and honorary doctorates from prestigious universities. His legacy includes contributions to both English and Italian literature, along with a lasting impact on the study of aesthetics and the arts. Praz passed away on March 23, 1982, leaving behind a significant body of work that continues to be recognized for its depth and insight.
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Mario Praz
Literary Critic
- Born: September 6, 1896
- Birthplace: Rome, Italy
- Died: March 23, 1982
- Place of death: Rome, Italy
Biography
Mario Praz was born in Rome, Italy, on September 6, 1896, the son of a bank clerk. In 1918, he received a doctorate in law from the University of Rome and was awarded a doctorate in literature from the University of Florence two years later. Married to Vivyan Eyles in 1934 and divorced in 1947, the couple had one daughter. He taught English at Liverpool University in England from 1924 to 1932 and at the Manchester University for the next two years. From 1934 to 1966, he was professor of English at the University of Rome, which named him professor emeritus in 1966.
During his busy career, Praz published some forty books and thousands of articles. His early works included Machiavelli and the Elizabethans (1928) and Unromantic Spain (1929), with the latter demonstrating his fascination for the grotesque, unusual, and macabre. His most well-known book, The Romantic Agony (1933), traced the influence of the Marquis de Sade and other erotic authors on the Romantic movement. Although not indicting the entire movement, the book presented evidence that Romanticism had pathological aspects that had generally been overlooked.
From the mid-1930’s, Praz increasingly wrote about the interrelations of literature, music and the visual arts. His books included the topics of seventeenth century imagery, neoclassicism, the hero in Victorian fiction, and the relations between Italian and English literature. His two illustrated histories of interior decorations and furnishings attracted numerous readers. He defended the interdisciplinary approach to scholarship in Mnemosyne: The Parallel Between Literature and the Visual Arts (1970). Among his publications were at least a dozen translations of English authors into Italian.
Many critics believe that Praz’s masterpiece was his semi-autobiographical House of Life (1964). Focusing on the art and other collected objects of his house (which later became the Praz Museum), he used these objects as a frame for discussing the people he had known, often telling how they had disappointed him. The mood was rather melancholy, with Praz presenting himself as a devoted collector and observer who was somewhat detached from society. He died in Rome on March 23, 1982.
During his long writing career, Praz was recipient of many awards, such as the British Academy’s Gold Medal for Anglo- Italian Studies (1935), the Italian Gold Medal for cultural achievements (1958), and Knight of the Order of the British Empire (1962). He was presented with honorary doctorates from Cambridge University, the Sorbonne, and other world-famous institutions.
Praz is remembered for his beautiful writing style, his enthusiasm for the arts, and his aesthetic view of life. Based on an erudite knowledge in the fields of English and Italian literature, he made many provocative observations on amazingly diverse topics. His emphasis on the erotic aspects of Romanticism had considerable influence, as did his interdisciplinary approach, to the study of the arts and humanities.