The Strega Prize was awarded to Tommaso Landolfi in 1975 for his short story collection A caso, cementing a legacy built upon linguistic invention and the subversion of narrative norms. An Italian writer, poet, and critic, Landolfi operated outside conventional literary boundaries, blending science fiction, gothic horror, and realism into a singular body of work.
Formative Years and Education
Born in 1908 in Pico, Landolfi belonged to a noble family. He received his education at the Convitto Nazionale Cicognini before moving to the University of Florence, where he earned a degree in Russian language and literature in 1932. During his time in Florence, he established professional connections with various magazines, including Letteratura and Campo di Marte, eventually contributing to publications such as Il Mondo and Corriere della Sera.
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Landolfi maintained a scholarly commitment to foreign literatures, directing his translation efforts primarily toward Russian and German writers. His work introduced Italian readers to the texts of Fyodor Dostoevsky, Aleksandr Pushkin, Nikolai Gogol, and Hugo von Hofmannsthal. This background informed his own writing, which frequently integrated archaic formulations and created synthetic languages to challenge the constraints of Italian prose.
Development of a Grotesque Aesthetic
His debut novel, La pietra lunare (1939), established his penchant for hallucinatory settings and provincial narratives. This work introduced characters struggling with erotic and phantasmagorical forces. Similarly, his science-fiction narrative Cancroregina (1950) utilized the form of a diary to recount the plight of an individual trapped in outer space. His most recognized work, An Autumn Story (1947), functions as a metaphorical reflection on the conclusion of a historical epoch following the upheaval of World War II.
Life and Legacy
Throughout his life, Landolfi resided primarily in Rome and his family estate in Pico. Beyond his desk, he frequented the gaming houses of Sanremo and Venice. An atheist, he spent his career bridging the gap between his wide European literary influences and his local heritage. Following his death in 1979, his daughter Idolina established the Centro Studi Landolfiani in 1996, and his writings remain in print through the publisher Adelphi.
Fast facts
- Born: 1908, Pico
- Died: 1979, Rome
- Education: University of Florence
- Strega Prize: 1975
- Bagutta Prize: 1964
- Viareggio Prize: 1985
- Primary Language: Italian
- Notable Work: An Autumn Story
Questions readers ask
What were Landolfi's primary literary influences?
He drew inspiration from European literature, most notably the work of Nikolai Gogol and Edgar Allan Poe.
Did he write science fiction?
Yes, notably in his 1950 novel Cancroregina, which follows a protagonist stranded in orbit.
Achievements
- Strega Prize — 1975
- Bagutta Prize — 1964
- Viareggio Prize — 1985
- Notable work: An Autumn Story
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