With the work "Corinna or Italy", Madame de Stael (1766-1817) wrote one of the strangest and richest novels of her time, which enjoyed timeless success. The author created a young woman, an excellent poet and musician, thoughtful and generous, with sharp political and social thinking, Corinna, to whom she gave the leading role. Italy is the ideal setting for a love story with a bad ending between this amazing existence and a Scotsman, perfectly adapted, despite his youth, to the social mold of his caste. Oswald does not accept beauty without usefulness; Corinna embodies, in an early form, the doctrine of art for art's sake. During their walks and travels, the two young people exchange views with each other and with their friends, Italians, English, and French, revealing their national characteristics and, consequently, the intense, interesting, and sometimes fateful differences in their mentality. Through their discussions and socio-political debates, a European cultural and political network emerges, culminating in Corinna's salon. The book intellectually stimulates the reader, multiplying their enjoyment: the beauty of the arts, philosophical and religious thought, contemplation of literature, poetry, theater, and aesthetics are offered abundantly, within the framework of some of the most beautiful Italian cities, mainly Rome, but also Naples, Campania, Venice, and Florence.