author
Enrico Nencioni
1837–1896
A sharp-eyed Italian poet, critic, and translator, he helped introduce English literature to Italian readers in the late 19th century. His essays are remembered for their curiosity, independence, and broad view of European culture.
1 Audiobook
Medaglioni
by Enrico Nencioni
About the author
Born in Florence on January 1, 1837, Enrico Nencioni became an important voice in Italian literary life as a poet, critic, and translator. He was especially interested in foreign literatures, above all English writing, and he played a meaningful role in bringing that wider literary world to readers in Italy.
Nencioni is often associated with a generation of writers and intellectuals who were rethinking Italian culture after unification. Rather than staying within a narrow national canon, he wrote with a lively interest in new ideas and in the value of reading across borders. His critical essays, published in volumes after his death, helped preserve the range of his work and reputation.
He later taught literature and also worked with the influential periodical Fanfulla della Domenica. Nencioni died at Ardenza, near Livorno, on August 25, 1896, but he remains a notable figure for readers interested in 19th-century Italian criticism and the meeting between Italian and English literary traditions.