Maria Bellonci

Maria Villavecchia Bellonci (30 November 1902 – 13 May 1986) was an Italian writer, historian and journalist, known especially for her biography of Lucrezia Borgia. She and Guido Alberti established the Strega Prize in 1947.

Biography Bellonci was born Maria Villavecchia in Rome on 30 November 1902. Her father, Gerolamo Vittorio Villavecchia, was a professor of chemistry, and came from an aristocratic Piedmontese family, while her mother, Felicita Bellucci, came from Umbria. She had three younger siblings, a brother Leo and a sister, Gianna.

From 1913, she studied at the Liceo Umberto, graduating in 1921.

Following the Second World War, the Belloncis established a salon at their residence, the Amici della domenica (Friends of Sunday) inviting Italian literati to discuss the promotion of Italian culture.

Bellonci's husband died in August 1964. but which circulated in Italian literary circles and introduced her to her future husband Goffredo Bellonci. Although these works were written in the genre of historical fiction, they were fully documented histories.

Culture, activism, journalism Bellonci was actively involved in the promotion of Italian culture. Along with her husband and Guido Alberti, she established the literary Premio Strega in 1947. She recounted its history in her 1971 book Come un racconto. Gli anni del Premio Strega.

She was a columnist in periodicals such as Il punto (1958–64), and Il Messaggero (1964-70). Many of these articles were compiled and republished in Pubblici segreti (two volumes, 1965 and 1989). Her collection of articles on Italian cities was republished posthumously in Segni sul muro (Signs on the wall, 1989).

Translation Bellonci was inspired by Stendhal and translated some of his work into Italian: Vanina Vanini e altre cronache italiane (1961), La duchessa di Paliano (1994). Among her other translations are Alexandre Dumas' I tre moschettieri (1977) and Emile Zola's Nana (1955).

Awards Bellonci was awarded the Viareggio Prize in 1939 for Lucrezia Borgia. In 1979, she won the Premio San Gerolamo for her literary oeuvre. She was posthumously awarded the Strega prize in 1986 for Rinascimento privato.