PEN Translation Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 1 (1963) Winner
Archibald Colquhoun
アーチボルド・コルクホーン
Archibald Colquhoun
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Died
- age 52
- Nationality
- British
- Languages
- English, Italian
- Religion
- Roman Catholic
- Residence History
- Naples, Italy → Seville, Spain → United Kingdom
Career
- Occupations
- Translator, Painter, Director (cultural institute), Intelligence officer
- Active Years
- 1935-1964
- Affiliations
- British Institute (served in Naples and Seville), Oxford University Press (initiative to publish Italian classics in translation)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ampleforth College | — | — | — | — | United Kingdom |
| Oxford University | — | — | — | — | United Kingdom |
| Royal College of Art | — | Fine Art / Painting | — | — | United Kingdom |
Ampleforth College
Country:
United Kingdom
Secondary education (Catholic boarding school)
Oxford University
Country:
United Kingdom
Faculty/department details unknown
Royal College of Art
Fine Art / Painting
Country:
United Kingdom
Originally trained as a painter
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | PEN Translation Prize | The Viceroys (translation of Federico de Roberto) | — | PEN (PEN organization) | 受賞 |
PEN Translation Prize
1963
Work:
The Viceroys (translation of Federico de Roberto)
Organization:
PEN (PEN organization)
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Betrothed (I Promessi Sposi)
Novel (classic)An English translation of Alessandro Manzoni's classic novel, one of Colquhoun's contributions to bringing important Italian literature to anglophone readers.
ReligionSocietyHistory
The Strange September of 1950
NovelTranslation of a work by Donato Martucci, part of Colquhoun's efforts to introduce lesser-known Italian writers.
Individual fateSocial change
The Viceroys
1894 Historical novelColquhoun's translation of Federico de Roberto's novel. This translation earned him the 1963 PEN Translation Prize.
PowerFamilySociety around Italian unification
The Leopard (Il Gattopardo)
1958 Historical novelA translation of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's masterpiece. Colquhoun's translation was a major success in the anglophone world and remains in print.
Decline of the aristocracySocial changeNostalgia
Adaptations
- [Film] Il Gattopardo (The Leopard) / Luchino Visconti (1963)
Places of My Infancy
Memoir / Selected writingsTranslation of Lampedusa's selected writings and memories, introducing his early recollections to anglophone readers.
ReminiscencePersonal memory
The Path to the Spiders' Nests
NovelAn English translation of an early Italo Calvino work; part of Colquhoun's role in introducing Calvino to anglophone audiences.
Coming of ageSocial background
A Life (Italo Svevo)
Biography / Novel (depending on original)Translation of Italo Svevo's work, contributing to the anglophone reception of an important modern Italian writer.
SelfPsychology
The Day of the Owl
Crime / Social novelTranslation of Leonardo Sciascia's work, a socially conscious novel dealing with the Mafia and local society.
JusticeMafiaLocal society
Bibliography
- The Betrothed (Alessandro Manzoni, translation)
- The Strange September of 1950 (Donato Martucci, translation)
- The Viceroys (Federico de Roberto, translation)
- The Leopard (Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, translation)
- Places of My Infancy (Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, translation)
- Several translations of Italo Calvino (short stories, novels)
- A Life (Italo Svevo, translation)
- Numerous other translations from Italian into English
Adaptations
- Il Gattopardo (The Leopard) — film adaptation of the novel
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Meticulous translations that respect the style and tone of the originalBalances readability with fidelity to the source text
- Recurring Motifs
- Modern Italian historyClass and social changeNostalgia and memory
Legacy
Archibald Colquhoun was a leading translator who helped introduce 20th-century Italian literature to anglophone readers. His translation of Lampedusa's The Leopard was a major success. He was among the first translators to introduce Italo Calvino to the English-speaking world and was the inaugural winner of the PEN Translation Prize in 1963.
Academic Societies
- PEN-related organizations (award/association)
Archives
- Various library authority files (VIAF and other identifiers)
Trivia
- Originally trained as a painter before making his name as a translator.
- Worked in British intelligence during World War II.
- Served as director of the British Institute in Naples and later in Seville.
- Contributed significantly to the anglophone reception of Italian literature, notably Lampedusa and Italo Calvino.