quadratino

One of the first comic book characters born in Italy is undoubtedly Quadratino, who made his debut in the pages of Corriere dei Piccoli in 1910 by the illustrator Antonio Rubino, who collaborated with the newspaper since its foundation.

Quadratino's comics respond to the style of the newspaper and as well as in Bilbolbul, here too we find captions in kissed rhyme, which tell the surreal pranks of a child with a square head.It always happens that while his mother Geometry, his aunt Algebra or his mathematician grandmother, are busy with their calculations, Quadratino secretly slips away to combine some mischief, such as stealing an apple or some other fruit. While he is intent on carrying out the action, something unexpected always happens that forces him to stumble and hurt himself. The bizarre thing is that when Quadratino falls, his head changes geometric shape, based on the type of accident. So when he tumbles down the stairs, his head becomes round, when he gets stuck in a hexagonal window, his head assumes that same shape and when a box of biscuits falls from above, the crushing due to the weight makes him become rectangular. Fortunately, there is always mother geometry, who, armed with a square and a compass after various calculations, corrects the shape of Quadratino's head.

The designs refer to the Liberty and Dec style of fashion in those years and the geometric world, recalls that of the writer Edwin Abbott. The stories of Quadratino were published until 1911, but Antonio Rubino also created other characters who have made the history of comics such as Italino, an ignorant peasant who always manages to combine some spite with the Austrian officer Otto Kartoffel. Also worth mentioning are the little girls Lola and Lalla, Pierino and the hated puppet, Il Collegio, La Delizia, Pippotto and the goat Barbacucco, the violinist Beniamino and many others always published in the Corriere dei Piccoli.

Quadratino and all names, images and registered trademarks are Copyright © Corriere dei Piccoli and are used here for cognitive and informative purposes.