Vittorio Alfieri and his Foundation

Asti, 16 January 1749 - Florence, 8 October 1803. Writer, poet and playwright.

Precursor of the romantic anxieties, he is the greatest Italian tragic poet of the eighteenth century.
He was born by the Earl of Cortemilia Antonio Amedeo Alfieri and Savoyard Monica Maillard de Tournon (the widow of the Marquis Alessandro Cacherano Crivelli). His father died during the first year of life of Victor and his mother remarried in 1750 with the cavalier Carlo Giacinto Alfieri of Magliano .
He lived until the age of nine and a half years at Palazzo Alfieri in Asti (the residence of his father), entrusted to a tutor, without any companionship. Of the two brothers he had, Giuseppe Maria died after a few months of his life and his sister Giulia was sent to the monastery of Sant'Anastasio. At ten years old he moved to Turin to study at the Royal Academy. Without completing his studies as a lawyer, he joined the army, where he remains until 1774. He frequently travelled through Italy and Europe, where he extends his cultural boundaries: Milan, Naples, Rome, Florence, Paris, London and Holland, Wien, Finland, up to the cold Russia. In the 1773 he settled in Turin and, together with the friends of his youth, established the "Societé des Sansguignon" to "feast and think about anything ". It is in this period that Bishops began to devote himself to the study of literature, and to write "mixed stuff of philosophy and impertinence". The first tragedy is Antony and Cleopatra that, After a few months, will be represented successfully at Palazzo Carignano. Start then its "travel Literature": Florence and Siena, that will lead him to read Niccolo Macchiavelli. From these new stimuli come from Alfieri new literary works: La congiura de ' Pazzi, The Agamemnon, The Oreste and Virginia.

In the 1777 do you know the woman who was tied up for the rest of their lives: Luisa Stolberg, Countess of Albany. When she arrives in Rome, Alfieri gives all his possessions to his sister Julia reserving an annuity, and reaches. The couple settled in Villa Strozzi and the poet writes the tragedies of Merope and Saul and the Abel. Unfortunately her family opposes the relationship between the two, Why Bishops decide to embark on a journey in order to promote their literary works. During this stay, though, collects much criticism regarding their written; different is the acknowledgement that has with the audience that participates in its representations: a great success, everywhere and always. To search for a bit of peace from all these problems, Alfieri and the Countess moved to Paris, where will i live the revolutionary France. The arrest of King Louis XVI convinces the two to return to Tuscany, Here the poet is dedicated to the study of the classics and writes his last tragedy: theAlceste second. In recent years, writes comedies like The few,Three poisons hot and The window. He died in 1803 and was buried in the basilica di Santa Croce in Florence, where is the beautiful funeral monument created by Antonio Canova in his honor. It is evident from his works his love for freedom and his hatred of tyranny, enhances the free writer, the virtue and moral independence, harshly criticizes the French Revolution, but promises a United and free Italy. Alfieri is, in his reflections, very close to the enlightenment doctrine but is still, with his emotions, closely linked to romantic thought. Bishops strongly inspired by the Italian literature and thought of the nineteenth; write him the Foscolo, Leopards, while others are inspired by its principles: Manzoni, Carducci and Gioberti. Many men of the Italian Risorgimento who visited his birthplace of Asti. Bishops will never forget nor ever will deny its origins in Piedmont, enough to write some sonnets in dialect. Literary masterpiece recognized by all is Biography that Alfieri writes of himself. Despite having spent most of his life away, Asti was always dear to the heart of the poet and to it, six years before his death, the Alfieri dedicated a sonnet that is a kind of spiritual Testament in favor of the city proclaimed him heir of his estate ideal: “Asti antiqua town, I already give it the cradle, and not give (pare) the Tomb; because destin that you lunge I remains, at the dottrinal abbiti my fromba”. Wrote to Asti poet Francesco Morelli: “My intention, is the legacy of my written to our city in testament of my sweet affection for that sweet I touched pria ch'io terren”. But his wish was not fulfilled: the manuscripts, left with everything else as an inheritance to the Countess of Albany, are part of Florence and part to Montpellier, portative organs by Fabre, heir in turn, Countess.
Also in the living room Castle of Magliano Alfieri: his mother had married, Thirdly, Giacinto di Magliano Alfieri.

Fondazione centro di studi alfieriani

Palazzo Alfieri (Operational headquarters: via Bonzanigo 32, Asti), phone. +39.0141.538.284
"The purpose of the Foundation ' Alfieriani ' Studies Center is to promote and coordinate studies and researches about the life and works of Vittorio Alfieri, at his age and subsequent however influenced by his legacy, historical movements, cultural and political that he relate " (Article 1 of the Statute).
"To this end, the Foundation provides: the edizione nazionale delle opere di Vittorio Alfieri with continuous updates of it through the consideration and inclusion of original documents before unknown or unrecognised, and by the contribution of new critical contributions; other even minor issues to meet outreach; the collection and storage in the House of Bishops of autographs, books, memorabilia; the conservation sorts of alfieriane iconography; training and upgrading a library as an information center for scholars of the life and works of Alfieri; the publication of monographs and critiques of texts considered useful for understanding not only the life and works of Alfieri, But even the guidelines of thought in order to; collaboration in relation to projects of Alfieriano Theatre representation to ensure rigorous interpretative criteria; the public opening of the House of Bishops with the view of editions of works, of documents and memorabilia and generally than kept and ordered " (Article 2 of the Statute).

LIBRARY FOR CONSULTATION
The library's heritage has reached the consistency of over 5000 Unit, between volumes, brochures, excerpts, periodicals, microfilm, concerning Bishops, eighteenth-century literature and theatrical literature in particular.
BIBLIOTHECA ANTIQUARIA
Of considerable interest is the antiquarian section of the library, that includes rare eighteenth and nineteenth century texts. Currently, due to renovations underway, the volumes are kept at the headquarters of Asti's Cassa di Risparmio S.p.A. Despite substantial discomfort among, however, has not been paused scientific activity and reference, for research, students and scholars coming from Italy and from abroad.
ALFIERIANO ARCHIVE
Of great value is the collection of alfieriani manuscripts (over 3000 cards), from the city archive of Asti, from the Bibliothèque Municipale de Montpellier, from the family of Felizzano and donations, such as the Cassa di Risparmio di Asti (Collections Cora and Baillou). In recent years, they were obtained from unpublished autograph from antiquarian market. During the restoration, the archive was transferred from Palazzo Alfieri at the headquarters of the Cassa di Risparmio di Asti.
ARCHIVE RELATED TO THE NOBLE FAMILIES OF PIEDMONT
It's’ Central property, in addition, a substantial Fund of paper documents and notarial acts concerning noble families of Asti (17TH-18th century.). Welcomed at the Archivio di Stato di Asti for the period of the restoration.
THEATRICAL MUSEUM
The construction of the past included photographs of the scene, scenic models, costumes and sketches of set designer Eugenio Guglielminetti, concerning preparations of alfieriane works of the fifties and sixties. The remodelling project involves expanding the available space, with the creation of an exhibition hall for temporary exhibitions and a possibility of continuous collaboration with the Fondazione Guglielminetti, newly established, the Center is part, with other bodies Asti.
APARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Includes the rooms of the apartment where Alfieri was born, with late eighteenth century and nineteenth century furnishings, currently under restoration. Among the paintings, all in restoration, portraits of maternal grandparents, of the mother, his sister Julia, the Countess of Albany, etc. Very interesting the portrayal of Alfieri 1797, the work of the painter F. X. Fabre, hosted for the period of work in the Palace, as the antiquarian library Fund and the Archive Fund, at the headquarters of the Cassa di Risparmio di Asti. Interesting is the collection of prints, Eighty of the engravings and lithographs, 18th-19th century, some known bulinisti. Among the memorabilia, table clocks and pocket watches, a cane with Ivory handle, a small sword, a whip, a horse harness, a lock of hair of Alfieri.

Discover the places Alfieriani in Asti