'Con la propria mia voce parli'. Literary Genres, Portraits, and Voices in Giuseppe Betussi's Imagini del tempio (1556). (March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pich, Federica
• Is Part Of: Italian studies. Volume 69:Number 1(2014:Mar.)
• Page Start: 51
• Page End: 74
• Publication Date: 2014-03
• Subjects: Italian literature -- History and criticism -- Periodicals; Italy -- Intellectual life -- Periodicals; Italy -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 945
• DOI: 10.1179/0075163413Z.00000000059
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0075-1634

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <p>Giuseppe Betussi's <italic>Imagini del tempio della signora donna Giovanna Aragona</italic> (1556) offers a privileged insight into the inner workings of encomium as a crucial self-authorizing experience in Renaissance culture. In this perspective, the paper focuses on: a) the strategic blending of literary genres as a response to the tensions of a challenging editorial market; b) the pivotal role of figurative metaphors in the self-depiction of celebrative texts and their connection with the memorial and allegorical dimensions; and c) the multiplication of textual voices and layers as a means of staging celebration itself as an ongoing performance, combining monumental accomplishment and verbal dynamism. It considers the question of why Betussi seemingly connects a small corpus of lyric texts (the sonnets quoted in the <italic>Imagini</italic>) to a major collection (Ruscelli's 1554 <italic>Tempio alla divina signora Giovanna d'Aragona</italic>) by means of a dialogue between Truth and Fame and proposes that the figure of Truth enables Betussi to modulate one single voice from the apparent interaction of many, ultimately building on well-established collective models to create a solo encomiastic anthology.</p> </sec> </abstract>