Ariosto in the Machine Age

Ariosto in the Machine Age explores how Ludovico Ariosto's poetry was used to shape Magical Realism, avant-garde painting, Fascist cultural propaganda, and cinema in modern Italy between the birth of Futurism and the end of the Second World War. It reconstructs the multimedia archive of Fascist initiatives for Ariosto's 1933 centennial anniversary and focuses on the passage between Fascist cinema and the birth of neorealism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 410 pages
Publication date: 30 October 2023
Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Ariosto in the Machine Age delves into the captivating story of how the Renaissance's most influential poet, Ludovico Ariosto, was seamlessly woven into the fabric of modern Italy's cultural tapestry during a pivotal period between the birth of Futurism and the conclusion of the Second World War. Through meticulous archival research, daring iconographic hypotheses, and innovative interpretations of literary texts, the book offers a fresh perspective on Italy's twentieth-century culture. It begins by exploring the unexpected encounter between Futurists and Ferrara just before the outbreak of the First World War, shedding light on the development of Giorgio de Chirico's Metaphysical art and Massimo Bontempellis Realismo Magico. The book then reconstructs the rich multimedia archive of Fascist initiatives commemorating Ariosto's 1933 centennial anniversary, delving into the fascinating transition between Fascist cinema and the emergence of neorealism. By questioning the very concept of reception, this groundbreaking interdisciplinary work cautions twenty-first-century readers against the dangers of monumentalizing the great authors of the past.

Weight: 896g
Dimension: 161 x 239 x 39 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781487546793