Giovanni Boccaccio

NAME Giovanni Boccaccio

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Giovanni Boccaccio is renowned for his literary works, particularly The Decameron, a collection of novellas that have significantly influenced Italian literature and the Renaissance.

BIRTH Boccaccio was born on June 16, 1313, in Certaldo or possibly Florence, Italy.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Boccaccio was the illegitimate son of a wealthy Florentine merchant, Boccaccino di Chellino, and an unknown woman. His father later married Margherita del Mardoli, integrating Giovanni into a respectable family background.

CHILDHOOD Boccaccio's childhood was marked by his father’s business connections and wealth, which afforded him a comfortable upbringing despite his illegitimacy.

EDUCATION Boccaccio was initially educated at home with a tutor, receiving a commercial education. Later, he studied canon law in Naples, although he was more interested in literature and humanistic studies.

CAREER RECORD Boccaccio initially worked in commerce and law, following his father’s wishes. However, he soon shifted to literature. Here's his resume;

Early career involved writing poetry and romances, heavily influenced by Dante.

Achieved lasting fame with The Decameron (completed by 1353).

Became a diplomat for Florence and a close friend of the poet Petrarch.

Later years focused on scholarly pursuits, writing commentaries on Dante and translating Greek works.

APPEARANCE Historical records do not provide detailed descriptions of Boccaccio’s appearance, but he is often depicted in portraits with scholarly features. 

FASHION Boccaccio likely wore the clothing typical of 14th-century Italian scholars, which included long robes and cloaks, often made of fine materials suitable for someone of his social standing.

Portrait by Andrea del Castagno, c. 1450

CHARACTER Boccaccio was known for his wit, intelligence, and keen observation of human nature. His works reflect a deep understanding of both the virtues and vices of society. Some works, like The Corbaccio, suggest a cynical view of women.

SENSE OF HUMOUR Boccaccio was renowned for his wit and bawdy humor, evident in The Decameron, where he uses satire and irony to critique the morals and behaviors of his time.

RELATIONSHIPS Boccaccio's life was a whirlwind of lovestruck woes. So, let's set the scene. Naples, between 1328 and 1341. Boccaccio's there, heart all a-flutter for a woman named Fiammetta. This lady wasn't exactly the picture of fidelity. But hey, that's the stuff that fuels a poet's fire, right? And fuel it did, inspiring Boccaccio's early poems.

Then, wham! Easter Eve, 1341. Boccaccio pops into the church of San Lorenzo, probably hoping to catch a glimpse of some particularly fetching religious iconography. Instead, he gets struck by a different kind of lightning – the thunderbolt of love at first sight. This time, the object of his affection is Maria, the king's illegitimate daughter, and wouldn't you know it, she bears an uncanny resemblance to Fiammetta. 

Naturally, Boccaccio, ever the romantic rascal, is smitten. Maria feels the same way, but being a married woman and all, throws up a few roadblocks – honor and duty, that kind of thing. But, after much hesitation, she eventually succumbed to their mutual desires.

Boccaccio had several notable friendships, including a deep friendship with the poet Petrarch. 

MONEY AND FAME Boccaccio achieved considerable fame during his lifetime for his literary contributions. He managed to live comfortably thanks to his father’s wealth and his earnings as a writer and public official.

However, in his later years, Boccaccio struggled with poverty and had to earn income by transcribing his own works and those of others.

FOOD AND DRINK While specific details about Boccaccio’s preferences for food and drink are not well-documented, he likely enjoyed the rich and varied cuisine of 14th-century Italy.

MUSIC AND ARTS Boccaccio was deeply immersed in the cultural life of his time, enjoying music and the arts. His works often reference contemporary art and music, reflecting his appreciation for these forms.

LITERATURE Boccaccio finished his magnum opus, The Decameron, in 1353.. This monster of a book is like a giant, juicy gossip rag from the late Middle Ages. We're talking seven ladies and three gentlemen fleeing the Black Death in Florence, holed up in a fancy villa, and telling each other stories for ten whole days. A hundred stories, mind you! From hilarious rom-coms to heart-wrenching dramas, The Decameron throws every kind of tale at the wall.

But Boccaccio wasn't a one-trick pony. He churned out biographies, poems, dabbled in history and mythology – the man was a literary buffet. His works explored the whole gamut of human emotions, good, bad, and the utterly bizarre. He had this uncanny knack for observing people, like a fly on the wall with a particularly well-honed pen.

His writing style? Think Cicero meets Ovid, with a healthy dose of Dante thrown in for good measure. And here's the kicker: Boccaccio was one of the first guys to write in the everyday Italian language, the vernacular as they called it back then. This was a big deal, folks. It helped shape Italian literature and culture as we know it today.

But Boccaccio wasn't just about spinning yarns. He was a champion of classical learning, a cheerleader for all things Greek and Roman. He dug up ancient texts like nobody's business, helping to revive interest in the classics and pave the way for the Renaissance – that whole celebration of reason, humanity, and all that good stuff.

NATURE Boccaccio appreciated nature, often incorporating descriptions of landscapes and natural beauty into his works, reflecting the Renaissance humanist admiration for the natural world.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Specific hobbies and sports Boccaccio engaged in are not well-documented, but his extensive travels and literary work suggest he was an active and curious individual.

SCIENCE AND MATHS Boccaccio was more focused on literature and the humanities than on science and mathematics, though he was knowledgeable about the scientific discussions of his time.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Boccaccio was influenced by classical philosophy, particularly Stoicism and Epicureanism. These schools of thought emphasized reason, moderation, and living a virtuous life in the face of adversity.

He explored themes of love, death, and morality in his writings. The Decameron grapples with the randomness of death during the plague, the fleeting nature of life, and the power of love and storytelling.

While not explicitly religious, Boccaccio's work reflects a complex relationship with Christianity. Some tales in The Decameron are critical of the Church, while others explore faith and redemption.

During his last years Boccaccio would have entered into holy orders, moved by repentance for the follies of his youth, had he not been dissuaded by his friend Petrarch. 

SCANDAL Boccaccio's life was relatively free from scandal. Any controversies associated with him were more intellectual and literary rather than personal.

MILITARY RECORD There is no record of Boccaccio having a military career. His life was primarily devoted to literary and civic pursuits.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Boccaccio lived a relatively long life for his time, indicating he likely maintained good health. His final years were troubled by illnesses, some relating to obesity and congestive heart failure. 

The Decameron is framed around a group of young people who have fled Florence to escape the plague. The opening of the book provides a vivid description of the Black Death's devastating impact on the city.

Boccaccio and others fleeing the plague; illumination of a French edition of the Decamerone (c. 1485)

In his later years, Boccaccio's health declined, forcing him to retire to Certaldo in 1363. In 1373, he began public readings of Dante's Divina Commedia in Florence but had to stop due to ill health in early 1374. The death of his friend Petrarch in July 1374 was a significant blow to Boccaccio3.

Boccaccio's final years were marked by illness, including severe edema (then described as dropsy) and what would likely be diagnosed as congestive heart failure today

HOMES Boccaccio likely spent his childhood in Florence, though details are unclear.

Moved to Naples around age 15, possibly due to his father's business interests.

Returned to Florence in the early 1340s and remained there for most of his life.

He may have briefly lived in his father's hometown of Certaldo, about 35 kilometres (22 mi) southwest of the Florence Duomo, during the Black Death outbreak.

He had a home in Certaldo, where he spent his last years in retirement.

TRAVEL Boccaccio traveled throughout Italy on diplomatic missions for Florence. These missions likely took him to Rome, Avignon (seat of the papacy at the time), and other Italian city-states.

His travels exposed him to different cultures and ideas, which influenced his writing.

There is no evidence he traveled outside of Italy.

DEATH Giovanni Boccaccio died on December 21, 1375, in Certaldo, Tuscany. He was 62 years old at the time of his death. 

After his death, Giovanni Boccaccio was buried in the Church of Saints Jacopo and Filippo (also referred to as SS. Michele e Jacopo in some sources) in Certaldo Alto, the elevated oldest part of Certaldo.

His entire book collection was bequeathed to the monastery of Santo Spirito in Florence. Unfortunately, many valuable works from this collection were lost after the suppression of monasteries by the French in the 19th century.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Boccaccio's life and works have been adapted into various forms of media:

Films: Il Decameron (1971), The Decameron (1971) by Pier Paolo Pasolini, and The Plague (1991) based on Albert Camus' novel inspired by The Decameron.

Operas: Gioachino Rossini's "La gazzetta" (1816) is based on a story from The Decameron.

Literature: Chaucer's Canterbury Tales was influenced by the structure of The Decameron.

Modern references: Boccaccio appears as a character in the video game Dante's Inferno.

ACHIEVEMENTS Boccaccio is celebrated as one of the founding figures of Renaissance literature. His Decameron set new standards for prose writing and storytelling, influencing countless writers and shaping the future of European literature.