Italy to host widespread exhibition for Carlo Collodi bicentenary

A widespread exhibition titled ‘Carlo Lorenzini-Collodi 200: life and works of a Risorgimento intellectual’ will take place across various Italian cities from September 2026 to December 2027. The project commemorates the bicentenary of the birth of Carlo Lorenzini, known as Collodi, the author of Pinocchio.

Coordinated by a national committee established by the Ministry of Culture at the request of the Carlo Collodi National Foundation, the exhibition aims to present a comprehensive view of the writer. Beyond his reputation as a children's author, the program highlights his role as a journalist, humorist, and intellectual active during the Risorgimento era. The displays will include manuscripts, first editions, period newspapers, drawings, and private correspondence.

In Florence, the exhibition is already accessible with free admission. The Biblioteca Marucelliana is hosting ‘C’era una volta… un re?’ until November 6, 2026, while the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale offers a biographical documentary path through October 17. Featured items include original manuscript chapters and drawings by Enrico Mazzanti, alongside documents related to Lorenzini’s participation in the Wars of Independence.