Conversazione illustrata in Sicilia (1953): una controversia fra Vittorini e Crocenzi

The illustrated edition of Elio Vittorini’s Conversazione in Sicilia – probably his most important novel, originally published in 1941 – appeared in 1953 with the inclusion of 169 photographs commissioned to Luigi Crocenzi three years earlier. The new publication was followed by a harsh controversy between the writer and the photographer regarding the authorship of the book. This essay recontructs the dispute – a crucial moment in the definition of Italian photographic culture – through the correspondence held in Vittorini’s and Crocenzi’s personal archives and the ensuing comments published in the media.