Guido Morselli: The Prophet Writer Rejected by Calvino Who Took His Own Life
Guido Morselli (Bologna, 1912 – Varese, 1973) was an Italian author who gained recognition after his death. He was born to a chemical businessman and a lawyer's daughter, relocating to Milan at the age of two. Following his mother's passing in 1924, he displayed a lack of enthusiasm for academics, ultimately obtaining a law degree in 1935. In 1937, he had a brief stint in advertising before turning to writing during World War II. After the war, he resided alone in Varese, producing works such as 'Realismo e fantasia' (1947) and 'Uomini e amori' (1949). His writings faced frequent rejection, culminating in his suicide in 1973. The following year, 'Roma senza papa' was released, and Morselli was referred to as 'the Gattopardo of the North.'
Key facts
- Guido Morselli was born in Bologna in 1912 and died in Varese in 1973.
- He was rejected by Italo Calvino at Einaudi and by Carlo Fruttero at Mondadori.
- His novel 'Roma senza papa' was published posthumously by Adelphi in 1974.
- He lived as a recluse in a self-designed pink house in Gavirate.
- He wrote 'Dissipatio H.G.' which was rejected in 1973.
- He committed suicide with a pistol he called 'the girl with the black eye'.
- Giulio Nascimbeni called him 'the Gattopardo of the North'.
- His lover Maria Bruna Bassi was his only literary advisor.
Entities
Artists
- Guido Morselli
- Italo Calvino
- Carlo Fruttero
- Luciano Foà
- Dante Isella
- Vittorio Sereni
- Giulio Nascimbeni
- Maria Bruna Bassi
Institutions
- Einaudi
- Mondadori
- Adelphi
- Liceo Parini
- Caffaro
- La Prealpina
- Il Tempo di Milano
- Corriere del Ticino
- Corriere della Sera
Locations
- Bologna
- Italy
- Milan
- Varese
- Gavirate
- Sardinia
- Sant'Antioco
- Calabria