Giuseppe Balducci (literary critic)

He was born in Apulia. He earned a bachelor's degree in literature[3] from the University of Bari , where he focused his academic pursuits on the emblematic section of the «Mario Praz» archival fund, housed at the Primoli Foundation in Rome, while under the tutelage of the Chair of Bibliography and Library Science.

His scholarly work is characterized by critical essays on prominent literary figures such as Mario Praz,[4][5] Henry de Montherlant,[6] Pierre Loti[7] and Aldo Palazzeschi.

His academic interests extended to the study of the tradition and transmission of both ancient and modern texts, which he actively engaged with by participating in various academic conferences and seminars.

In the year 2022, he made a significant discovery, collaborating with his brother Giovanni, that culminated in the publication of an unpublished work by Marcel Proust. This work notably references the Impresa di Fiume, an undertaking led by the renowned Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio. Their discovery garnered notable attention, with coverage from reputable sources such as Il Sole 24 Ore[8][9] and TG2.[10]

In 2022, he contributed to the international journal la Biblioteca di via Senato with his essay titled La letteratura degli emblemi e delle imprese, delving into emblem literature and offering insights into Mario Praz's notable book, Studies in the Seventeenth-Century Imagery.[11] Continuing his scholarly endeavors, the year 2023 saw him presenting Mario Praz's work Misteri d'Italia on TG2.[12] This remarkable publication assembles, for the first time in a single volume, a collection of rare writings by the distinguished Italian writer that originally appeared in the magazine Il Borghese in 1958.[13] He also undertook the editorial work for Praz's Omelette soufflée à l'antiquaire, a literary exploration of the writer's enduring passion for antiques.[14]

It is worth noting that his works have been featured in esteemed journals, including Antinomie. Scritture e immagini, Il Giornale dell'Arte and La ricerca (Loescher).

(selected works)

• Introduzione, in Pierre Loti, Uomo di mare, edited and translated by Giuseppe Balducci, Robin Edizioni («Biblioteca del Vascello»), 2022, ISBN 9791254672235.
• Profilo di Mario Praz, in Mario Praz, Misteri d'Italia, edited by Giuseppe Balducci, Aragno («Biblioteca Aragno»), 2022, ISBN 9788893802000.
• Marcel Proust, Soggiorno a Venezia. D'Annunzio nella «Recherche», edited by Giovanni and Giuseppe Balducci, preface by Takashi Inoue, Luni Editrice («Il sogno di Gutenberg»), 2022, ISBN 9788879848237.
• Montherlant, uno scrittore inattuale, in Henry de Montherlant, Giulio Cesare. Dialogo con un'ombra, edited by Giovanni and Giuseppe Balducci, translated by Giovanni Balducci, Aragno («Biblioteca Aragno»), 2023, ISBN 9788893802307.
• Mario Praz, Omelette soufflée à l'antiquaire. Elogio degli antiquari, edited by Giovanni and Giuseppe Balducci, Aragno («Biblioteca Aragno»), 2023, ISBN 9788893802314.
• Ritratto di Aldo Palazzeschi, in Aldo Palazzeschi, Usanze d'oggi, edited by Giuseppe Balducci, Aragno («Biblioteca Aragno»), 2023, ISBN 9788893802642.
• Nota biografica del traduttore Pierre Pascal, in Omar Khayyām, Robā’iyyāt. Alla Gloria del Vino, edited by Giovanni and Giuseppe Balducci, presentation by Gelasio Gaetani d'Aragona, Luni Editrice («Le Tradizioni»), 2023, ISBN 9788879848633.