The Finder of Hidden Treasures: Giacomo Prampolini as a Mediator of Scandinavian Literature and HIs Translations of Pär Lagerkvist

Giacomo Prampolini was one of the most productive translators in Italy in the period 1921-1939 and was active as a mediator of foreign literature until his death in 1975. He was one of the major translators of Scandinavian literature in particular and, at a time when indirect translation was the norm, he understood the importance of translating from the original language and engaging directly with the cultures from which he translated. His work of mediation involved writing literary reviews as well as working in the pub- lishing industry (as a translator, professional reader, selector, and editor); finally, he was the sole author of a colossal history of world literature entitled Storia universale della letteratura (1933-1938). Here, his interest in marginal and peripheral literatures seems to have defined his specific mode of mediation: that of finder of hidden treasures. He performed this role by exploring “minor” Scandinavian literatures such as Icelan- dic, Finno-Swedish and New Norwegian literature, and was instrumental in discovering prominent writers such as Knut Hamsun, Olav Duun and Pär Lagerkvist and introducing them to Italy, and indeed the second part of this article focuses on Prampolini’s mediation of the latter author’s work.