There are many characters, either based on real people or taken from literary tradition, that have gained fame thanks to being in Dante’s Divine Comedy. Among all of them, the story of Paolo and Francesca…

When and where did the splendid manuscript of the Dante Urbinate originate? That is the subject of this episode all about the priceless Renaissance masterpiece edition of Dante. Once commissioned by Federico da Montefeltro, work…

Our journey alongside Dante continues at the gate to the second circle of the Inferno. Having passed through Limbo, Dante and Virgil reach the actual entry to Hell, where the naked devils that greet them…

Returning to our voyage through the pages of the Dante Urbinate, today we will meet its patron, Federico da Montefeltro, a man of highly refined taste who played a key role in the Italian Renaissance.…

After exploring the history of the manuscript of the Dante Urbinate, today we finally begin our journey into the Divine Comedy itself, and the best place to start is in the “dark wood” that opens…

Today marks the beginning of our journey of discovery through the pages of the Dante Urbinate, one of the most priceless masterpieces of the Renaissance. As we celebrate 700 years since the death of Dante,…

Illumination from the manuscript "Tresample description de toute la Terre Saincte", ms. Royal 20 A IV, f. 125v, ca. 1540, British Library, London.

Capital "Q", illumination from the manuscript "Gradualis sanctorum Ecclesiae Parisiensis pars V", ms. RES VMA MS-1415, p. 135, 1669, Département Musique, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.

Historically and mythologically speaking, being in a powerful position (and perhaps also a little “too good-looking”) often proved to be a double-edged sword for many women. While undoubtedly representing an advantage, it also made those…

Illumination from a Book of Hours (Paris), ms. Latin MS 164, f. 81r, ca. 1430, The John Rylands Library, Manchester.