Poema tartaro

work by Casti

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

The Poema tartaro (1787), or "Tartar Poem," is a verse satire by Italian poet Giovanni Battista Casti. Casti, known for his comic opera librettos and satirical works, wrote this piece during his time in St. Petersburg, where he was treated well by Catherine the Great, despite his poem mocking the adulation shown to her.1

Casti was a prolific writer who also authored Gli animali parlanti ("The Talking Animals"), which personified European nations to critique monarchical concepts in light of the French Revolution. His other works include the society verse Novelle galanti ("Amatory Tales").1

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Giovanni Battista Casti
…he was treated well, his Poema tartaro mocked the adulation shown the Empress. Returning to Vienna, he was named poet laureate in 1790. After a time in Italy, he settled in Paris, where he lived for the rest of his life. There he wrote his other major work, Gli animali…
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…he was treated well, his Poema tartaro mocked the adulation shown the Empress. Returning to Vienna, he was named poet laureate in 1790. After a time in Italy, he settled in Paris, where he lived for the rest of his life. There he wrote his other major work, Gli animali…
Read More