Dante Celebrated by Florence Seven Centuries After Death

Dante Aligheri is considered the "Father of Italian literature" and is beloved by his native Florence - Image Source: Wikimedia

DANTE ALIGHIERI, considered the “father of Italian literature”, will be celebrated by his home city of Florence to mark the 700th anniversary of the writer’s death.

Best known simply as Dante, the medieval writer is best known for his immortally acclaimed epic poem “The Divine Comedy”. Divided into three parts depicting hell, purgatory, and heaven, the famous work is still considered one of the greatest works in the history of world literature.

Dante was born in Florence in 1265, and 2021 marks the 700th anniversary of his 1321 death in Ravenna. To celebrate its most famous native, the city of Florence has unveiled plans to display rare artworks associated with the writer’s epic texts in its world-renowned Uffizi Gallery.

A collection of sketches by Rennaisance artist Federico Zuccari will be exhibited online by the gallery free of charge, meaning Dante aficionados will be able to appreciate the works even if Covid and budgets prevent them from making the pilgrimage to Italy.

Produced during the artist’s two-year stay in Spain between 1586 and 1588, the collection includes 88 pieces. The majority (49) depicts Dante’s vision of purgatory, while 28 portray hell and 11 heaven.

“The Uffizi Gallery is really proud to open the anniversary of the great poet’s death by making this extraordinary collection of graphic art available to all,” said Eike Schmidt, the Uffizi’s director.


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Oisin Sweeney

Oisin is an Irish writer based in Seville, the sunny capital of Andalucia. After starting his working life as a bookseller, he moved into journalism and cut his teeth as a reporter at one of Ireland's biggest news websites. Since joining Euro Weekly News in November, he has enjoyed covering the latest stories from Seville, Spain and further afield - with special interests in crime, cybersecurity, and European politics. Anyone who can pronounce his name first try gets a free cerveza...

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