Gabriele D’Annunzio | A collection of 9 signed photographic prints, 1900-1922

Gabriele D'Annunzio

A collection of 9 signed photographic cards and portraits of D'Annunzio, 1900-1922, comprising:

1. Photographic portrait on card (card size 165 x 106mm.), a three-quarter profile half-length portrait, by Guigoni & Bossi of Milan, inscribed by D'Annunzio "Gabriele d'Annunzio | Settignano giugno 1900"
2. Photographic portrait on card (card size 165 x 110mm.), a profile half-length portrait (of a younger D'Annunzio), by Varischi-Artico of Milan, inscribed "Gabriele d'Annunzio", undated
3. Photographic postcard (85 x 136mm.), a half-length portrait of D'Annunzio in military uniform, by Betti of Fiume, inscribed "Gabriele d'Annunzio, Fiume 1920", verso with marks from being pasted into an album
4. Photographic postcard (86 x 134mm.), showing D'Annunzio in military dress speaking to a crowd, by Betti of Fiume, inscribed "Fiume d'Italia | 1920 | Gabriele d'Annunzio", with message and address and stamps on verso
5. Photographic postcard (137 x 89mm.), showing D'Annunzio speaking, in military dress, by Betti of Fiume, inscribed "Gabriele d'Annunzio"
6. Photographic print (137 x 87mm.), mounted on paper, a three-quarter profile half-length portrait of D'Annunzio in military dress, inscribed "Gabriele d'Annunzio | 5 gennaio 1921"
7. Photographic postcard (138 x 90mm.), showing D'Annunzio in a garden with two dogs, inscribed "Gabriele d'Annunzio | 1922", adhesive marks on verso
8. Photographic print on card (291 x 222mm.), showing D'Annunzio writing at a desk, by Fotografia Ferrario of Salo and Gardone Riviera, inscribed "al Commandante [name erased] | Gabriele d'Annunzio | "monoculus futuri doctus" | +1922"
9. Printed portrait (331 x 238mm.), by Aragozzini, a head and shoulders profile portrait, inscribed "Gabriele d'Annunzio | duca di Ragusa"

These photographs begin with d'Annunzio's time in Settignano (in the hills just outside Florence), where he lived from 1898 to 1910 (a few doors down from his lover Eleanora Duse) and where he wrote many of his literary works. In September 1919, however, during the negotiations over territory following on from the First World War, D'Annunzio seized control of Fiume, a town on the Italian/Croatian border, setting himself up as the military leader (or Comandante) until the end of 1920. The many photographs of D'Annunzio in military dress formed part of his substantial propaganda campaign.

D'Annunzio signed himself as "Gabriel Nuncius monoculus futuri doctus" several times, meaning "Gabriel the messenger, the one-eyed man versed in the future", and also gave himself the title Duke of Ragusa.