Leonardo Sinisgalli

Leonardo Sinisgalli (b. Montemurro, Province of Potenza 1908, d. Rome 1981) was an Italian poet and art critic active from the 1930s to the 70s. His early education and careers led to him being called the "engineer poet".

In 1925, Sinisgalli moved to Rome where he studied engineering and mathematics. After completing his engineering degree in 1932, he moved to Milan where he worked as an architect and graphic artist. He was a close friend of the poet Giuseppe Ungaretti and painter Scipione. He worked at Milan for architecture and graphic design projects.

Sinisgalli's early collections such as "Cuore" (1927), "18 poesie" (1936), "Campi Elisi" (1939) focused on themes from ancenstral southern Italian myths. Later he explored a more relaxed style in "I nuovi Campi Elisi" (1947), "La Vigna vecchia" (1952), "L'età della luna" (1962), "Il passero e il lebbroso" (1970), "Mosche in bottiglia" (1975) and "Dimenticatoio" (1978). He authored prose that analyzed the conflicts of existentialism and realism such as "Fiori pari, fiori dispari" (1945) and "Belliboschi" (1948). He also explored the scientific culture of the day in "Furor mathematicus" (1944) and "Horror vacui" (1945).

Sinisgalli founded and managed the magazine "Civiltà delle Macchine" (1953-1959). He also created two documentaries which consecutively won the Biennale di Venezia awards and edited radio broadcasting programs.

References

*cite book
last = Sinisgalli
first = Leonardo
month = November | year = 1982
title = The Ellipse: Selected Poems of Leonardo Sinisgalli (Lockert Library of Poetry in Translation)
publisher = Princeton University Press
id = ISBN 0-691-06529-2
*cite book
last = Zuliani
first = Stefania
year = 1997
title = Il demone della contraddizione: Sinisgalli critico d'arte (Scenari dell'arte)
publisher = Guerini studio
id = ISBN 88-7802-781-2