Franco-Italia

Although absent from sources, this expression encompasses a group of heterogeneous ideas used by the French in order to define the areas of Italy in their possession. Indeed, it seems to reflect a two-sided intellectual movement: on the one hand, a rereading of Italy according to French standards (“Italia”); on the other hand, a redefinition of the French themselves through their own view of Italy (“Franco”). Thanks to the oscillation between the two parties of this expression, the Franco-Italia concept suggests a perpetual toing and froing between the acculturation of Italy and the redefining of France’s identity.