Levi, Carlo

Levi, Carlo (kär`lō lā`vē), 1902–75, Italian writer and painter, noted as an anti-Fascist leader. After taking a medical degree, Levi devoted himself to painting, gaining international acclaim. His political activity in the 1920s resulted in his exile (1935–36) to the remote province of Lucania. His experiences there are described in Cristo si è fermato a Eboli (1945; tr. Christ Stopped at Eboli, 1947). While in France (1939–41) he wrote the essay Of Fear and Freedom (1946, tr. 1950). Levi's other works include The Watch (1948, tr. 1951) and The Linden Trees (tr. 1962), as well as studies of modern Italy, Sicily, and the USSR.