GABRIELI, GIUSEPPE. - Arabist and librarian
of the Accademia dei Lincei, b. at Melendugno (Lecce)
on 4 Apr. 1872, d. at Rome on 7 Apr. 1942. From his youth
he devoted himself to Oriental studies at the Universities of
Naples and Florence, at the latter of which he graduated with
a thesis on the Bedouin poetess al-Hansa; he was
headmaster-director at the pareggiato Capece Institute of Maglie
(1900-1902), from which he moved to Rome as librarian
of the Lincei, from 1903 until his death.
In his new office he had the opportunity to collaborate on the
chronographic and historical work of Leone Caetani, whose "Fondazione," arising from the prince's donation of his own books and scientific
papers, he arranged in the Academy;
in 1915 he obtained the libera docenza and in 1917 the appointment
to teach Arabic language and literature, but he was unable to attain,
owing to persistent opposition, the university chair.
Among the 250 publications in his bibliography, the following are to be
remembered: Orientalist works: I tempi, la vita ed
il canzoniere della poetessa araba al-Hansà, Florence 1899,
2nd ed. Rome 1944; Il nome proprio arabo-musulmano,
Rome 1916; Dante e l'Oriente, Bologna 1920; works on the history
of culture: Il carteggio Lincea della vecchia accademia
di F. Cesi, collected and published, 3 parts, 4 vols., Rome
1938-42, a work of nearly twenty years carried out with rigor of
method and the insight of a historian; religious works: Il Vangelo dei
piccoli, Rome 1913, 2nd ed. Turin 1924; Le parabole,
Turin 1925; I Fioretti di s. Francesco, Turin 1927;
writings in which he revealed his profoundly Christian religious
spirit and his capacity as an educator.
Bibliography2 works
Nicola Turchi