The fast rise of publishing is considered as one of the most impressive aspects of the Italian take off towards modernization in the late XIX Century. With regard to this amazing growth in the editorial activities and production, the consolidation of the special area of the Children’s books publishing represented one of the main features. It was also a hard pillar for the advancement of the Children’s Literature in Italy on its way to reach its ‘golden age’. Actually, it was a complex process involving multiple factors, including economic and financial ones as well as cultural and aesthetic ones. Indeed, the wide development of the editorial industry in the production of Children’s books not only mirrored the take-over of new public engaged in cultural entertainment, i. e. the one of the young readers, but also the dissemination of new social customs able to bring the adults closer to the ordinary life of the young generations. That kind of remarkable take off in the Children’s books publishing even represented the reason for the appearance on the stage of new types of businessmen and modern capitalists able to realize great fortunes in a short time. Perhaps, the case of the Biondo Brothers' Publishing Company represented one of the most significant examples, even though not adequately considered. More than other similar cases, it interpreted the synchronic pulse in the rise of an outstanding family of entrepreneurs and prodigal magnates and in the development of one of the main Italian cities, such as Palermo, that was going through a period of particular splendour. If the splendour of the so called ‘felicissima Palermo’, emerging in the last decade of the XIX Century, and reaching the top at the beginning of the XX Century, is commonly identified with the mythical memories of the Florio's, the contemporary success of the Biondo’s also contributed to that great development of Palermo as a capital city in the European map of the ‘belle époque’, ostensibly visible in the blooming of the liberty style in the figurative arts and architectures. The intention of this chapter is to analyse the case of the Biondo’s on a wider perspective: as innovative publishers, as promoters of a modern style in Children’s Literature, as agents of large cultural initiatives including the foundation of public theatres and philanthropic enterprises. In so far, it is possible to recognize how largely their leading role in managing innovation in Children’s Books Publishing acted as an original crossroad for social and cultural modernization.
A Mirror of Modernization: The Stunning Rise of Children's Books Publishing and the Unique Case of the Biondo Brothers' Publishing Company in 'felicissima' Palermo
todaro letterio
2024-01-01
Abstract
The fast rise of publishing is considered as one of the most impressive aspects of the Italian take off towards modernization in the late XIX Century. With regard to this amazing growth in the editorial activities and production, the consolidation of the special area of the Children’s books publishing represented one of the main features. It was also a hard pillar for the advancement of the Children’s Literature in Italy on its way to reach its ‘golden age’. Actually, it was a complex process involving multiple factors, including economic and financial ones as well as cultural and aesthetic ones. Indeed, the wide development of the editorial industry in the production of Children’s books not only mirrored the take-over of new public engaged in cultural entertainment, i. e. the one of the young readers, but also the dissemination of new social customs able to bring the adults closer to the ordinary life of the young generations. That kind of remarkable take off in the Children’s books publishing even represented the reason for the appearance on the stage of new types of businessmen and modern capitalists able to realize great fortunes in a short time. Perhaps, the case of the Biondo Brothers' Publishing Company represented one of the most significant examples, even though not adequately considered. More than other similar cases, it interpreted the synchronic pulse in the rise of an outstanding family of entrepreneurs and prodigal magnates and in the development of one of the main Italian cities, such as Palermo, that was going through a period of particular splendour. If the splendour of the so called ‘felicissima Palermo’, emerging in the last decade of the XIX Century, and reaching the top at the beginning of the XX Century, is commonly identified with the mythical memories of the Florio's, the contemporary success of the Biondo’s also contributed to that great development of Palermo as a capital city in the European map of the ‘belle époque’, ostensibly visible in the blooming of the liberty style in the figurative arts and architectures. The intention of this chapter is to analyse the case of the Biondo’s on a wider perspective: as innovative publishers, as promoters of a modern style in Children’s Literature, as agents of large cultural initiatives including the foundation of public theatres and philanthropic enterprises. In so far, it is possible to recognize how largely their leading role in managing innovation in Children’s Books Publishing acted as an original crossroad for social and cultural modernization.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
