Italian poet, writer and literary critic Plinio Perilli has died in Rome at the age of 71. A prominent figure in Italy's cultural life, Perilli leaves behind a distinguished body of work that spanned poetry, literary criticism, essays and cultural studies.

Born into a family deeply connected to the arts, he was the son of screenwriter and director Ivo Perilli and actress Lia Corelli, and the brother of actress and voice performer Valeria Perilli. Throughout his career, he became known as one of Rome's most respected intellectual voices.

Paying tribute to him, Rome's mayor described Perilli as a “complete Roman intellectual: a poet, writer, essayist and refined voice of contemporary Italian culture.”

Perilli's literary career began in the early 1980s, when he made his debut in the influential magazine *Alfabeta*. His first poetry collection, *L'Amore visto dall'alto* (Love Seen from Above), published in 1989, was shortlisted for the prestigious Viareggio Prize. His subsequent collection, *Preghiere d'un laico* (Prayers of a Layman), earned several major literary awards, including the Montale, Gozzano and Gatto prizes.

Beyond poetry, Perilli devoted much of his work to exploring the connections between literature and the visual arts, as well as the relationship between cinema and poetry. His publications included *Storia dell'arte italiana in poesia* (History of Italian Art in Poetry), *Melodie della terra*, an extensive study of twentieth-century Italian culture and nature, and *Costruire lo sguardo*, a work examining cinema through the lens of forty major film directors.

A scholar of remarkable breadth and a passionate advocate for culture, Perilli remained deeply connected to Rome and its intellectual heritage throughout his life. His passing marks the loss of a significant voice in contemporary Italian literature and cultural criticism.