Giovanni Boccaccio

Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375) was a celebrated Italian "raconteur", writer, poet, and humanist, born near Florence, but sent by his father to Naples to pursue a mercantile career, though he showed a passion for literature very early in his life. However, he gave himself up to story-telling in prose and verse, became skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly, which ultimately made him the celebrated raconteur.

He fell in love with Maria, a beautiful woman, daughter of the king, styled by him Fiammetta, for whom he wrote several of his works, and his great work, the "Decameron" (1348 — 58). Decameron is a collection of 100 tales told by ten young people living in the country in order to escape the Black Death.

Early in his life, Boccaccio formed a lifelong friendship with Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374), along with whom he contributed to the revival and study of classic literature. He lectured on Dante in Florence. Petrarch's death in 1374 deeply affected him, and he died the year after.

Nearby pages
Giovanni Cabot, Giovanni Da Capistrano, Giovanni Francesco Straparola, Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, Giovanni Paisiello, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina