Abstract: Matilde Serao’s novels were widely translated in German-speaking countries starting from the end of the nineteenth century. In 1912, Leo Spitzer devoted his inaugural lecture at the University of Vienna entirely to Serao’s oeuvre, underlining the idiosyncrasies between her life choices and her work, and noting the remarkable art she had produced. Published in a periodical in 1914, Spitzer sent the lecture to Benedetto Croce as a token of his friendship and his interest toward Italian culture.
