Cultural Cocktail Hour

Giotto and Dante

One of the most illustrious artists at the forefront of the Italian Renaissance, Giotto di Bondone, enjoyed a friendship with his contemporary, the celebrated author of the Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri.

Legend has it that one day, Dante made an impudent comment to Giotto about the painter’s eight children, who according to Dante, were quite homely.

“Giotto,” Dante inquired, “how can a man who creates such beautiful paintings create such ugly children?”

“Well,” Giotto quipped, “I did make them in the dark.”

Above Painting: Giotto Painting The Portrait Of Dante. 1852. D. G. Rossetti 

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