Franco Maria Ricci facts for kids
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Franco Maria Ricci (born December 2, 1937 – died September 10, 2020) was an Italian publisher and editor. He was famous for publishing beautiful art books and magazines. One of his most well-known creations was FMR, an art magazine published every two months from Milan. It was available in Italian, English, German, French, and Spanish for over 27 years.
Ricci was also known for making special, limited-edition books about artists. These books often had unique handmade paper and fancy black silk covers with silver or gold writing. He sold his publishing company, Ricci Editore, in 2007 but bought it back in 2015.
Contents
His Famous Magazine: FMR
The very first issue of FMR magazine came out in 1982. The name FMR comes from Franco Maria Ricci's initials. If you say it in French, it sounds like "éphémère," which means "fleeting" or "transitory." This word suggests something beautiful that doesn't last forever.
Why FMR Magazine Was Special
Many critics called FMR "the most beautiful magazine in the world." It was known for being perfect and for having smart articles about art history that were never boring. The magazine featured amazing, large photographs and beautiful drawings. These pictures were printed perfectly on a black background, which made them stand out.
Many famous people loved FMR. The movie director Federico Fellini called it his "black pearl." Even Jacqueline Kennedy said it was "the most beautiful magazine in the world."
A New Path: The Maze
In December 2002, after twenty years of publishing FMR, Ricci sold the magazine to a company called Art'é. He wanted to focus on a big dream he had: building the largest maze in the world. This amazing maze, called "Labirinto della Masone," is located in Fontanellato, Italy.
After Ricci sold the magazine, an art expert named Flaminio Gualdoni became the new editor in 2003. In 2007, a sister magazine called FMR White was launched. It focused on modern art.
Famous Writers and Artists
Over the years, both FMR and FMR White featured many important writers and thinkers. Some of these included Alberto Arbasino, Jorge Luis Borges, Italo Calvino, Umberto Eco, and Octavio Paz.
Both magazines stopped being published in 2009. However, in 2015, after finishing his huge maze (which also has an art museum and a library), Ricci bought back the rights to FMR. He thought about starting the magazine again.
Other Cool Books He Published
Besides FMR magazine, Franco Maria Ricci also published some other very interesting books. He published the first edition of the Codex Seraphinianus, which is a very strange and imaginative encyclopedia of an imaginary world. He also published some books by the famous Italian comic artist Guido Crepax.
