D’Annunzio, Libreria Editrice Lombarda and Il Rinascimento (1905–1906)

Abstract

This paper examines the periodical Il Rinascimento, published in 17 issues between 15 November 1905 and 20 July 1906, within its publishing and historical context. Il Rinascimento served as the periodical of the short-lived publishing house, Libreria Editrice Lombarda, owned by Tom Antongini and Arnaldo De Mohr, which is a crucial element in understanding its agenda. In the first part, I discuss the foundation and subsequent decline of Libreria Editrice Lombarda, focusing specifically on D’Annunzio's involvement. The birth of the publishing house was closely linked to Antongini's friendship with D’Annunzio and the author's dissatisfaction with his collaboration with Fratelli Treves. The subsequent sections focus on Il Rinascimento's discourse on ‘Renaissance’. This discourse was deeply rooted in the post-Risorgimento crisis of values and tried to go beyond both art for art's sake and naturalism in favor of a new nationalist engagement of literature and the arts. The embodiment of this nationalism was the periodical's favorite author, Gabriele D’Annunzio.