Event—Public Programming

The Italian Literary Canon and the Arts: from Dante to Tasso

While the idea of canonicity implies aspirations towards permanence and stability, the making of a canon is a turbulent process, involving various and often contradictory components. Focusing on the early response of the visual arts to the masterpieces of selected literary authors —from Dante to Tasso—, I will investigate the role of the visual arts in the dynamics of formation of a literary canon in 16th-century Italy.