Publication Date:
2010
Short description:
Quadrio e le poetiche arcadiche / Sarnelli, Mauro. - (2010), pp. 133-166.
abstract:
The aim of this essay is to investigate «per specimina» the consonance of Quadrio’s poetics with the literary and theoretical outlines of some of the most important members of the Academy of Arcadia in its first fifty years. Although we know that Quadrio entered the Milanese Colony of the Arcadia with the sobriquet of Ornisco Ippocreneo in the years (1743-1766) of Michele Giuseppe Morei’s superintendency («Custodiato»), any biographical evidence that links the scholar to the institution is extremely scarce.
Therefore, in Quadrio’s poetics relive together — to be sure in an updated version — several elements taken from the «Arcadic lineage» (Carducci): Crescimbeni’s partiality for the «grazia», as well as Gravina’s rationalistic emphasis on a «poetical science» built upon Greek models. This last feature takes in Quadrio a particularly “metastasian” nuance: hence his warm praise of Metastasio.
Notwithstanding, all consonance between Quadrio’s theoretical stance and the other Arcadians’ must take into account Quadrio’s reasoned and informed dissent towards both Crescimbeni’s historiographical and poetical oeuvre, and Gravina’s critical and dramaturgical works. As for the former, Quadrio admires him but dismisses all elements of late–baroque permanence heritage that he rightly perceives in Crescimbeni’s oeuvre; as for the latter, whereas Quadrio follows Gravina in his condemnation of Seneca’s dramatic style, he dismisses Gravina’s strictness on the use of the rhyme and on the «simplicity» of the pastoral drama; above all, Quadrio strongly dislikes Gravina’s tragedies.
Quadrio’s independence of judgement on the topic of Arcadia’s poetical theories is a strong element towards a better comprehension of his oeuvre. Within a clear Arcadian model Quadrio’s judgement pays heed to some of the most relevant literary and artistic theories of the first half of the Eighteenth century. One can say, in the end, that his was a judgement formed and molded by the Roman Arcadia and its ramifications, although somewhat from afar.
Therefore, in Quadrio’s poetics relive together — to be sure in an updated version — several elements taken from the «Arcadic lineage» (Carducci): Crescimbeni’s partiality for the «grazia», as well as Gravina’s rationalistic emphasis on a «poetical science» built upon Greek models. This last feature takes in Quadrio a particularly “metastasian” nuance: hence his warm praise of Metastasio.
Notwithstanding, all consonance between Quadrio’s theoretical stance and the other Arcadians’ must take into account Quadrio’s reasoned and informed dissent towards both Crescimbeni’s historiographical and poetical oeuvre, and Gravina’s critical and dramaturgical works. As for the former, Quadrio admires him but dismisses all elements of late–baroque permanence heritage that he rightly perceives in Crescimbeni’s oeuvre; as for the latter, whereas Quadrio follows Gravina in his condemnation of Seneca’s dramatic style, he dismisses Gravina’s strictness on the use of the rhyme and on the «simplicity» of the pastoral drama; above all, Quadrio strongly dislikes Gravina’s tragedies.
Quadrio’s independence of judgement on the topic of Arcadia’s poetical theories is a strong element towards a better comprehension of his oeuvre. Within a clear Arcadian model Quadrio’s judgement pays heed to some of the most relevant literary and artistic theories of the first half of the Eighteenth century. One can say, in the end, that his was a judgement formed and molded by the Roman Arcadia and its ramifications, although somewhat from afar.
Iris type:
2.1 Contributo in volume (Capitolo o Saggio)
Keywords:
Accademia dell'Arcadia; Quadrio, Francesco Saverio; Metastasio, Pietro; Gravina, Gianvincenzo; Letteratura italiana, secc. 17.-18.; Classicismo
List of contributors:
Sarnelli, Mauro
Book title:
La figura e l'opera di Francesco Saverio Quadrio