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<p>The bicentenary of Carlo Collodi (1826–1890)’s birth offers an opportunity to reconsider how <i>Pinocchio</i> (1881–1883) reflects nineteenth-century ideas about brain morphology, physiognomy, and criminal anthropology. Focusing on the donkey-metamorphosis episode and its reference to an invented cranial structure, the analysis shows how Collodi engages with contemporary claims, associated in particular with Franz Joseph Gall (1758–1828) and Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909), that behavioural traits could be inferred from cranial anatomy. The discussion also considers the physiognomic motif of the elongating nose, linked to the tradition of Johann Caspar Lavater (1741–1801), and the broader cultural presence of phrenological language in Italy, including early attestations such as Giovanni Rajberti (1805–1861). By situating <i>Pinocchio</i> within these scientific and pseudo-scientific debates, the article highlights its relevance to the historical development of neurological thought.</p>

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Bumps, elongating noses, and abnormal skull bones: pseudo-neuroanatomy and Lombrosian Echoes in Collodi’s Pinocchio

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月23日

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  • Francesco Brigo,
  • Paolo Benna,
  • Lorenzo Lorusso,
  • Mariano Martini,
  • Federico Tosto,
  • Giorgio Zanchin

摘要

The bicentenary of Carlo Collodi (1826–1890)’s birth offers an opportunity to reconsider how Pinocchio (1881–1883) reflects nineteenth-century ideas about brain morphology, physiognomy, and criminal anthropology. Focusing on the donkey-metamorphosis episode and its reference to an invented cranial structure, the analysis shows how Collodi engages with contemporary claims, associated in particular with Franz Joseph Gall (1758–1828) and Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909), that behavioural traits could be inferred from cranial anatomy. The discussion also considers the physiognomic motif of the elongating nose, linked to the tradition of Johann Caspar Lavater (1741–1801), and the broader cultural presence of phrenological language in Italy, including early attestations such as Giovanni Rajberti (1805–1861). By situating Pinocchio within these scientific and pseudo-scientific debates, the article highlights its relevance to the historical development of neurological thought.