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Scrittrice “Inglese Di Nazionalità" “Italiana Per Scelta”

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Scrittrice “Inglese Di Nazionalità R EALITY Vernon Lee Scrittrice “inglese di nazionalità" “italiana per scelta” Massimo ernon Lee, pseudonimo della definisce la scrittrice una “miniera di del Diciottesimo Secolo in Italia). De Francesco scrittrice Violet Paget, nasce di idee”. A quest’ultimo la scrittrice È la prima letterata a introdurre il Vil 14 ottobre 1856 da fami- commissiona una rubrica chiamata concetto di Einfühlung, o Empatia glia inglese colta e cosmopolita a Letters from Italy (Lettere dall’Italia) (letteralmente Immedesimazione) Boulogne-sur-Mer nel dipartimento da pubblicare sulla rivista The Lon- nello studio dell’estetica nel mondo francese di Pas-de-Calais da Henry don Mercury. letterario anglofono. Belcaro, sag- Ferguson Paget e Matilda Lee-Ha- In Italia i Paget si spostano frequen- gi su diverse questioni di estetica milton. È sorellastra del poeta tardo temente e nel 1873 si stabiliscono a pubblicato nel 1881, è una delle sue vittoriano Eugene Lee-Hamilton, Firenze, dove la scrittrice trascorre- opere più significative riguardanti nato dal primo matrimonio della rà il resto della sua vita. Nel 1878, l’estetica, oltre a essere un’auto- madre. Definitasi “inglese di na- al fine di “essere considerata seria- rità in materia di Rinascimento, di zionalità” e “francese per caso”, mente dal pubblico”, Violet inizia cui dà prova per mezzo delle ope- Vernon è “italiana per scelta”, in a scrivere sotto il nom de plume re Euphorion, pubblicato nel 1884, quanto trascorre più di mezzo se- maschile di Vernon Lee. Poliglotta e Passioni e Studi sul Rinascimento colo nel Bel Paese. Qui forgia ami- sin da bambina, condivide il suo del 1895. (Sempre nel 1884 la scrit- cizie influenti nei salotti intellettuali anno di nascita con un illustre e col- trice pubblica nel The Magazine internazionali con personaggi in vi- to pittore espatriato, l’americano, of Art una descrizione di Barga, in sta come Henry James, Mario Praz, ma nato a Firenze, John Singer Sar- Lucchesia, da lei visitata nel 1882, Telemaco Signorini, Carlo Placci, gent, con il quale stringe una forte corredata con immagini realizzate Bernard Berenson e Edith Wharton, e duratura amicizia. dall’illustratore statunitense Joseph autrice de L’Età dell’Innocenza, la Il loro primo incontro risale al 1862, Pennell che la visitò nel 1883). quale le dedicherà il suo libro Vil- anno in cui le famiglie, i Sargent e Nel 1903 le spiccate doti letterarie le Italiane e loro Giardini, essendo i Paget, vivono a Nizza. Sargent di- di Vernon Lee danno vita all’opera Vernon Lee spunto di ispirazione viene uno dei più eminenti pittori Arianna a Mantova, un testo tea- per la sua omologa americana. Praz dell’Ottocento e per Vernon Lee la trale in cinque atti, ennesima prova pittura riveste il ruolo di estensione della sua genialità. delle sue espressioni letterarie. A partire dal 1888, vive nella Villa il Nel 1872 esplorano insieme la sto- Palmerino, alle pendici delle colline rica scuola di musica di Bologna, di Fiesole, dove condivide la sua dove si incontrano brevemente, dimora con la scrittrice e teorica e lì danno sfogo alla loro sete di dell’arte scozzese Clementine (Kit) cultura, immaginando di “abitare” Anstruther-Thomson, dalla quale la scuola con i compositori sette- viene lasciata nel 1899. Nel 1911 centeschi i cui ritratti li circondano. conosce la scrittrice e avvocatessa Questa esperienza immaginaria inglese Irene Cooper-Willis. Con lei dona alla scrittrice le basi per il suo vivrà al Palmerino fino al termine racconto breve del 1881 L’Avventu- della vita. Violet Paget si spegne il ra di Winthrop. (Nello stesso anno 13 febbraio del 1935 e viene sepolta posa per Sargent il quale la immor- nel Cimitero Evangelico degli Allo- tala in uno dei suoi più importanti ri al Galluzzo, alle porte di Firenze. ritratti). Il patrimonio di oltre quattrocento L’anno prima, grazie alla sua pas- volumi antichi di proprietà della John Singer Sargent, Ritratto di Vernon Lee (1881) sione per la musica italiana del scrittrice viene donato da Irene Wil- “secolo dei lumi”, Violet pubblica lis-Cooper, divenuta beneficiaria ed La fiorentina villa Il Palmerino all’età di ventiquattro anni Studies esecutrice testamentaria della Lee, dove la scrittrice dimorò per quasi mezzo secolo of Eighteenth Century in Italy (Stu- al fiorentino British Institute. 50 51.
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