It was established as a literary magazine with the name Novella (Italian: Short Story) in 1919.[1][2] The magazine was started as a notebook-sized publication, and the publisher was Casa Editrice Italia.[3] As of 1926 it was published on a monthly basis, and its editor was Guido Cantini.[4] In 1927 the magazine was acquired by the Rizzoli,[5][6] now RCS MediaGroup, which is still the owner of the magazine.[7][8][9] Like other Rizzoli magazines it was printed in a certain color which was purple for Novella.[10] During this period it featured fiction narratives and short stories.[10] It also published work by Italian intellectuals, including Gabriele D’Annunzio and Luigi Pirandello.[11] Filippo Piazzi contributed to the magazine between 1934 and 1935.[12]