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Pavese, Cesare

(Encyclopedia)Pavese, Cesare chāˈzärā pävĕˈsā [key], 1908–50, Italian novelist, poet, and translator. A major literary figure in postwar Italy, Pavese brought American influence to Italian literature thro...

Borgia, Cesare

(Encyclopedia)Borgia, Cesare or Caesar bōrˈjä [key], 1476–1507, Italian soldier and politician, younger son of Pope Alexander VI and an outstanding figure of the Italian Renaissance. Throughout his pontificat...

Pucci, Emilio

(Encyclopedia)Pucci, Emilio (Marchese Emilio Pucci di Barsento) po͞oˈchē [key], 1914–92, Italian fashion designer. After establishing showrooms in Florence, Capri, and Rome, he began his signature look with el...

Capuana, Luigi

(Encyclopedia)Capuana, Luigi lo͞oēˈjē käpwäˈnä [key], 1839–1915, Italian critic and novelist. His activities included teaching, scientific study, and politics. He wrote in almost every genre, but his repu...

Marconi, Guglielmo, Marchese

(Encyclopedia)Marconi, Guglielmo, Marchese go͞olyĕlˈmō märkāˈzā märkôˈnē [key], 1874–1937, Italian physicist, celebrated for his development of wireless telegraphy (see radio). In the field of electro...

Capponi, Gino, Marchese

(Encyclopedia)Capponi, Gino, Marchese jēˈnō käp-pōˈnē [key], 1792–1876, Italian politician, historian, and educator. He played an important part in the Risorgimento. His theory of education anticipated the...

Monteverdi, Claudio

(Encyclopedia)Monteverdi, Claudio klouˈdyō mōntāvĕrˈdē [key], 1567–1643, Italian composer; first great figure in the history of opera. His earliest published works, a set of three motifs, appeared when he ...

Vida, Marco Girolamo

(Encyclopedia)Vida, Marco Girolamo märˈkō jērôˈlämō vēˈdä [key], c.1490–1566, Italian poet, b. Cremona. After joining the humanist court of Pope Leo X, he was given a priory at Frascati and was commiss...

Lasso, Orlando di

(Encyclopedia)Lasso, Orlando di ōrlänˈdō dē läsˈsō [key], 1532–94, Franco-Flemish composer, b. Mons, also known as Orlandus Lassus or Roland de Lassus. Lasso represents the culmination of Renaissance musi...

Lampedusa, Giuseppe di

(Encyclopedia)Lampedusa, Giuseppe di jo͞ozĕpˈpā dē lämpādo͞oˈzä [key], 1896–1957, Italian novelist. A wealthy Sicilian prince, Lampedusa drew on his family's history for his internationally acclaimed wo...