Richard Bagot

Born on 8 November 1860, Richard Bagot was an English novelist and essayist with strong family ties and a deep connection to Italy. He became known for writing about Italian art, letters, and society, and many readers especially associated him with My Italian Year and other books shaped by his travels there.

His best-known fiction includes Donna Diana, Love's Proxy, and The Passport. Alongside his novels, he also wrote nonfiction works such as Lakes of Northern Italy, showing how comfortably he moved between storytelling and cultural observation.

Bagot's affection for Italy was publicly recognized during his lifetime: in 1917 he received an address of appreciation from the Italian nation, and he was invested as a Grand Officer in the Order of the Crown of Italy. He died at his home in Milnthorpe, Westmorland, in December 1921.