Aldo Palazzeschi

Born in Florence in 1885 as Aldo Giurlani, he wrote under the name Aldo Palazzeschi and became one of the most distinctive Italian writers of the twentieth century. He began as a poet and was briefly connected with the Futurist movement in the early 1910s, though his work always kept its own lighter, more ironic spirit.

Palazzeschi is remembered for mixing experiment with readability. His writing could be whimsical and eccentric, but also deeply attentive to everyday life and human character. That balance helped him stand out both in poetry and in fiction.

Among his best-known works is the novel Sorelle Materassi (The Sisters Materassi), which brought him wide recognition. He lived a long literary life and died in Rome in 1974, leaving behind a body of work that still feels lively, curious, and hard to neatly classify.