One hundred years ago, on May 12, Giovanni Testori was born — a maverick intellectual whose vast and passionate activity spanned countless creative fields: from literature to the novel, from theatre to art history, from journalism to poetry. He remains a figure who continues to fascinate and attract interest precisely because of his multifaceted nature.

“This is demonstrated by the surprising wealth of initiatives that mark this Testori centenary year, and by the importance of the figures who have become involved or have proposed projects,” says Giuseppe Frangi, president of the Giovanni Testori Association, holder of the author’s rights and literary legacy.

“Centenario Giovanni Testori” (Giovanni Testori Centenary) is a programme of initiatives in Milan and across various Italian cities, coordinated by the Giovanni Testori Association – which since 1998 has promoted research, safeguarded Testori’s Archive and his vast art library – together with Casa Testori Associazione Culturale, which since 2009 has managed the writer’s home, transforming it into a cultural hub dedicated to the production and promotion of 20th-century and contemporary art, and by the National Committee for the Celebrations of the Centenary of the Birth of Giovanni Testori, established by forty prominent figures, including university professors and directors of major museums and theatres.

Click here to discover all the events and initiatives of the Giovanni Testori Centenary programme.

Photograph: © P. Raffaeli