Focus: La "macchina universale": Italo Calvino e i tarocchi
The conference by Gianni Cimador, a Literature teacher at the Nautical Institute of Trieste, titled “La ‘macchina universale’: Italo Calvino e i tarocchi” (The 'universal machine': Italo Calvino and the tarot cards), held on Monday, November 21, at Caffè San Marco, marked the beginning of a series of meetings organized by the International Society for the Dissemination of Manlio Cecovini for Historical, Social, and Ethical Studies.
Cimador explored a lesser-known aspect of the work of the Ligurian writer: his esoteric interests, highlighted by the presence of numerous books on alchemy, magic, and spiritualism in his library. Constantly torn between a rationalism of Enlightenment influence, evident in his meticulous control of form, and a lucid critique of the limits of reason, Calvino harbored the belief that he could construct an order through literature, providing a map to navigate a reality difficult to master.
In this context, tarot cards, aligning with Calvino's passion for emblems, played a significant role in his narrative, especially during the period between 1969 and 1973 when masterpieces like 'The Castle of Crossed Destinies' and 'Invisible Cities' were published.
Useful links:
Watch the gallery
Cimador explored a lesser-known aspect of the work of the Ligurian writer: his esoteric interests, highlighted by the presence of numerous books on alchemy, magic, and spiritualism in his library. Constantly torn between a rationalism of Enlightenment influence, evident in his meticulous control of form, and a lucid critique of the limits of reason, Calvino harbored the belief that he could construct an order through literature, providing a map to navigate a reality difficult to master.
In this context, tarot cards, aligning with Calvino's passion for emblems, played a significant role in his narrative, especially during the period between 1969 and 1973 when masterpieces like 'The Castle of Crossed Destinies' and 'Invisible Cities' were published.
Useful links:
Watch the gallery
