Carlo Gozzi, count, an Italian dramatist, born in Venice about 1720, died April 4, 1806. He early published some poetry, but was obliged to enlist in the army owing to pecuniary embarrassment. After three years he returned to Venice, and became the most witty member of the Granalleschi society, which was devoted to learning and also to convivial and burlesque purposes. He began to ridicule the plays of the abbate Chiari, and ended by attacking those of Goldoni, against whom he directed his satire La tartana degli influssi per l'anno bissestile 1757, which made him famous. His dramatic pieces, based on fairy tales, were for a time exceedingly popular, especially Turandote, which Schiller adapted to the German stage. He afterward wrote tragedies. He published a complete edition of his plays in 12 vols. (Venice, 1791). Werthes translated his plays into German (5 vols., Bern, 1795), and Streckfuss prepared a German version of his fairy tales (Berlin, 1805). He facetiously gave to his autobiography the title of Memorie inutili della vita di Carlo Gozzi (3 vols., Venice, 1797). - His brother Gaspare (1713 - '86) was a voluminous writer in prose and verse, but is best remembered as the author of the Osservatore veneto (published periodically), Sermoni, and other humorously critical productions.

His works, including his Difesa di Dante, were collected in 16 vols. (1818).