Domenico Morelli e Pasquale Villari

This paper focuses on the long friendship and intellectual exchange between Domenico Morelli and Pasquale Villari, historian, theorist, and central figure in post-unification Italy’s intellectual and institutional panorama. Sharing in their youth the same political ideals and cultural passions, which, in the wake of Giuseppe Mazzini’s views, took a clear patriotic imprint, Morelli and Villari continued throughout their lives to share thoughts and battles aimed at the renewal of the culture and artistic institutions of the young kingdom of Italy. Documented by letters published by the author (2002 and 2004), their exchange is analyzed here, focusing on three main directives, which from their youthful romantic ideas lead to the conscious and courageous positions of full maturity.