Alberto Pincherle Moravia was a dominating, though controversial, literary and intellectual figure in 20th century Italy. He was born in Rome, in a well-to-do Jewish-Catholic family. His father was a successful architect and also an amateur painter. He is described as a solitary, conservative creature of habit, in contrast to the 20 year younger mother – a social and strong-willed woman who would leave many traces in Alberto's literary production.