Francesco de Sanctis (march 28, 1817 – december 29, 1883) was an
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
literary critic, considered the most important scholar of Italian language and literature in the 19th century.
He was born at
Morra IrpinaMorra De Sanctis is a town in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy.
...
(
CampaniaCampania is a region of southern Italy in Europe. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,595 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
) to a family of middle-class landowners. After the high school studies in
NaplesNaples in Italy, is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,800 years old...
, from 1836 he was educated at the free institute of the Marchese Basilio Puoti.
Becoming a teacher in a private school of his own, he made a name as a profound student of literature; and after the troubles of 1848, when he held office under the revolutionary government and was imprisoned for three years at
NaplesNaples in Italy, is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,800 years old...
, his reputation as a lecturer on
DanteDANTE is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various National Research and Education Networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
at
TurinTurin is a major city as well as a business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River surrounded by the Alpine arch...
brought him the appointment of professor at
ZürichZürich or Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. The city is Switzerland's main commercial and cultural centre and sometimes called the Cultural Capital of Switzerland, the political capital of Switzerland being Berne...
in 1856.
He returned to Naples as minister of public instruction in 1860, and filled the same post under the Italian monarchy in 1861, 1878 and 1879, having in 1861 become a deputy in the Italian chamber.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Francesco de Sanctis' Start a new discussion about 'Francesco de Sanctis' Answer questions from other users |
Francesco de Sanctis (march 28, 1817 – december 29, 1883) was an
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
literary critic, considered the most important scholar of Italian language and literature in the 19th century.
Biography
He was born at
Morra IrpinaMorra De Sanctis is a town in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy.
...
(
CampaniaCampania is a region of southern Italy in Europe. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,595 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
) to a family of middle-class landowners. After the high school studies in
NaplesNaples in Italy, is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,800 years old...
, from 1836 he was educated at the free institute of the Marchese Basilio Puoti.
Becoming a teacher in a private school of his own, he made a name as a profound student of literature; and after the troubles of 1848, when he held office under the revolutionary government and was imprisoned for three years at
NaplesNaples in Italy, is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,800 years old...
, his reputation as a lecturer on
DanteDANTE is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various National Research and Education Networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
at
TurinTurin is a major city as well as a business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River surrounded by the Alpine arch...
brought him the appointment of professor at
ZürichZürich or Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. The city is Switzerland's main commercial and cultural centre and sometimes called the Cultural Capital of Switzerland, the political capital of Switzerland being Berne...
in 1856.
He returned to Naples as minister of public instruction in 1860, and filled the same post under the Italian monarchy in 1861, 1878 and 1879, having in 1861 become a deputy in the Italian chamber. In 1871 he was made professor of
comparative literatureComparative literature is critical scholarship dealing with the literature of two or more different linguistic, cultural or national groups...
at Naples University.
As a literary critic, De Sanctis took a very high place, notably with his
Storia della letteratura italianaThe Storia della letteratura italiana is an essay written by Italian literary critic Francesco De Sanctis, published in two volumes in 1870 and 1871....
and with his critical studies, published in several volumes, some of them since his death at Naples in 1883.
De Sanctis had many faithful disciples, among whom
Benedetto CroceBenedetto Croce was an Italian critic, idealist philosopher, and occasionally also a politician. He wrote on numerous topics, including philosophy, history, methodolgy of history writing and aesthetics, and was a prominent liberal, although he opposed laissez-faire free trade...
was to achieve the most fame. His chief contribution as philosopher was to aesthetics; his influence upon Italian literary criticism remains strong up to the present time.