Benno von Archimboldi is the pen name of the fictional German author Hans Reiter (1920-), one of the central characters in Roberto Bolaño's 2666. He is introduced in the first part of the novel, "The Part About the Critics", as a mysterious and elusive figure. After learning that Archimboldi has recently been sighted in Mexico, three of the critics, Jean-Claude Pelletier, Manuel Espinoza, and Liz Norton, travel to Santa Teresa (the fictional counterpart to real-life Ciudad Juárez) in pursuit of his trail. While they are unsuccessful, they learn that his real name is Hans Reiter.
From then on, Archimboldi effectively disappears until he resurfaces in the last part of the novel ("The Part About Archimboldi"), which tells the bildungsroman-like story of his childhood in Germany, his experiences fighting in World War II, his relationship with his wife, Ingeborg, and his development as a writer. The novel concludes as he leaves for Mexico.
Life
editArchimboldi was born in Prussia in 1920. His father was a one-legged soldier who fought in World War I, and his mother was "one-eyed" (blind in one eye).
Literary Career
editReiter chose the pen name "Benno von Archimboldi" on a whim.
His long-time publisher was Mr. Bubis.
Recognition and Criticism
editArchimboldi was said to be in contention for the Nobel Prize for a number of years.
Works
editThe following works are listed in chronological order of their publication:
- Lüdicke
- The Endless Rose
- The Leather Mask (part of a trilogy with D'Arsonval and The Garden)
- Rivers of Europe
- Bifurcaria Bifurcata
- Inheritance
- Saint Thomas
- The Blind Woman
- The Black Sea
- Lethaea
- The Lottery Man
- The Father
- The Return
The following works were presumably written after The Return, but in uncertain order:
- D'Arsonval
- The Garden
- Mitzi's Treasure
- Railroad Perfection
- The Berlin Underworld (a collection of mostly war stories)
- Bitzius
- The King of the Forest
- The Head (his latest novel as of the chronology in "The Part About the Critics")