FEDERICO DELLA VALLE. — Tragic poet, born in Asti around 1565, died in 1628 or 1629, brought to light again by Croce, who reprinted his tragedies, accompanied by a critical essay.
He was an admired writer and poet at the court of the Savoys. In 1627 he delivered in Milan the funeral oration for the death of Philip III of Spain and published the tragedies Judith and Esther, followed in 1628 by The Queen of Scotland, dedicated to Urban VIII. In 1629 his nephew Federico Parona oversaw the publication of the tragicomedy Adelonda of Phrygia. The first two tragedies are dedicated «to the most high Queen of the heavens» of whom the protagonists are prefigurations. Della Valle is, among the poets of the 17th century, the most gifted with humanity and moral thoughtfulness. He «feels the human drama, with anguish, with pity, with gentleness, with admiration for the proofs of virtue in all its forms» (B. Croce).