Publisher Rosellina Archinto Dies at 93

Rosellina Archinto, a pioneering Italian publisher of children's literature, died in Liguria on August 21. She was 93 years old. Her six-decade career was defined by a focus on essential authors and a commitment to high graphic and narrative quality, a passion she passed to her daughter Francesca Archinto. She was a graduate in economics from Milan and trained at Columbia University in New York.

A Career Across Three Imprints

Archinto's publishing journey began in 1963 with the founding of Emme Edizioni. This house distinguished itself through the quality of its illustrated albums and its roster of major authors. Key figures published included Leo Lionni, Iela Mari, Maurice Sendak, Tomi Ungerer, and Lele Luzzati.

She later founded Archinto Editore in 1985-1986. This imprint focused on correspondence, biographies, and letters from artists, musicians, scientists, and writers, building an international and borderless catalogue. From 1988 to 1997, she ran the monthly magazine Leggere, dedicated to literary exchange and criticism, with the participation of major Italian and foreign figures.

In 1999, Archinto co-founded Babalibri with her daughter Francesca, in partnership with the French publisher L'Ecole des loisirs. Specializing in high-quality international picture books, she soon handed daily management to her daughter. She refocused on Archinto Editore, which she sold in 2003 only to buy it back in July 2015 at the age of 82, regaining editorial independence for her catalogue and name.

A Franco-Italian Editorial Partnership

The relationship between Rosellina Archinto and L'Ecole des loisirs began in 1967. That was when Jean Delas, the French house's late general director, met the Italian editor while she was leading Emme Edizioni in Milan. From that period, L'Ecole des loisirs began publishing French editions of artists linked to Emme, notably Iela Mari (Les Aventures d'une petite bulle rouge, 1968) and Leo Lionni (Petit bleu et petit jaune, 1970).

This partnership was formalized with the creation of Babalibri at the very end of the 1990s. The project was based on an exchange of rights. L'Ecole des loisirs wanted to acquire certain titles published in Italy by Emme, notably those of Iela Mari and Leo Lionni, while also selling its own albums on the Italian market. Babalibri selects 16 to 18 new titles each year from the French publisher's catalogue for Italian publication, featuring French authors such as Chen Jiang Hong, Mireille D'Allance, Mario Ramos, Claude Ponti, and Philippe Corentin.

Institutional Roles and Honors

Beyond publishing, Archinto held numerous institutional and cultural positions. She served as president of Milan's Commissione Cultura from 1990 to 1993. She was vice-president of the Fondazione Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa from 2003 to 2006.

Her other roles included honorary president of the Amici dei Musei Liguri e di Palazzo Ducale and president of Milano Musica. She sat on the boards of the Accademia del Teatro alla Scala and Comunita Nuova. She also served on the juries for the Strega, Bagutta, and Andersen - Baia delle Favole prizes.

Her contributions were recognized with Milan's Ambrogino d'oro award in 2010. In France, she was named a chevalier of the Legion d'honneur in 2015.