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Why did Stendhal decide to settle in Italy after the fall of the French Empire?
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Stendhal
Stendhal, oil painting by Pierre-Joseph Dedreux-Dorcy; in the BibliothĂšque Municipale de Grenoble, France.
Stendhalâs decision to settle in Italy in 1814, following the fall of the French Empire, was rooted in a profound personal connection he had formed with the region earlier in his life.1
During his time as a second lieutenant in the French military, Stendhal discovered Piedmont, Lombardy, and the city of Milan. The culture and landscape of Italy became a "revelation" that played a determining role in his life and literary works. Upon moving to Milan, he immersed himself in the local culture, befriending Milanese liberals and Carbonari patriots, studying music and the visual arts, and launching his career as a writer. This move marked the beginning of an irreversible literary vocation for him.1