The Battle of Marciano (La battaglia di Marciano) is a huge, impressive fresco painted by the Italian architect, historian, painter, and writer Giorgio Vasari in 1565 for Cosimo I de’ Medici in the Hall of the Five Hundred in Palazzo Vecchio.
The exact name of the painting, which plays a key role in Dan Brown’s 2013 novel Inferno, is The victory of Cosimo I at Marciano in Val di Chiana (La vittoria di Cosimo I a Marciano in Val di Chiana).
In his 2013 novel Inferno, Dan Brown mentions the struggle between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. As it was so important for both Medieval Florence and the life of poet Dante Alighieri, we want to briefly explain what this opposition was about. Simply put, the Guelphs and Ghibellines were rival parties in medieval Germany and…
The Gates of Paradise is the main gate of the Baptistry of Florence (Battistero di San Giovanni), located in front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
The Porta del Paradiso, in Italian, was created by Florentine goldsmith and sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti between 1425 and 1452 and installed in the eastern portal of the Baptistery.
The Gates have been praised by generations of artists and art historians for their compelling portrayal of scenes from the Old Testament.
Over time, the seventeen-foot-tall, three-ton bronze doors became an icon of Renaissance, one of the most famous works of art in the world.
The workmanship of panels demonstrates that the Florentine artists had mastered linear perspective and the classical idiom by the early 15th century.
According to The Lives of the Artist by Giorgio Vasari, the door—once known just as the East Door—was named the Gates of Paradise by Michelangelo Buonarroti because of its striking beauty.
In his last novel Inferno, Dan Brown decided to tackle the theme of global overpopulation, referring also to the Black Death (Peste Nera) of 1348, which killed a third of Europe’s population.
As in all his books, however, he prefers to ask questions of his readers rather than give them solutions.
What comes to mind when you see the Biohazard symbol?
You have certainly seen it many times and now cannot remember where, but you would do well to keep it in mind.
The Rod of Asclepius is an ancient Greek symbol associated with medicine, consisting of a serpent coiled around a rod. In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Asclepius was the god of medicine and healing. His daughters are Hygieia (goddess of cleanliness), Iaso (goddess of recuperation from illness), Aceso (goddess of the healing process), Aglea (the…
In the novel Inferno by American author Dan Brown, the acronym Saligia refers to the seven deadly sins in Latin, namely: superbia, avaritia, luxuria, invidia, gula, ira, and acedia.
The World Health Organization (WHO), whose director in the novel Inferno by Dan Brown is Dr. Elizabeth Sinskey, is defined by the protagonist Robert Langdon as the gatekeeper of the planet’s health and well-being.
This article defines the WHO and sets out its objectives.
The Florentine is the best-known English-language news magazine in Florence. Also known as TF, it is so famous that Dan Brown mentioned it in his novel Inferno. It is published every other Thursday, is free, and is also provided in a rich and accurate online version.
Have you ever worn the mask? Read and then respond.
Today’s post was written by our friend Kristen Elise, an American writer and expert on symbols. A Robert Langdon in the feminine? 😉 Thanks Kristen!
In Dan Brown’s Inferno, Elizabeth Sinskey’s amulet necklace serves as a plot device to foster trust between Sinskey and Robert Langdon. But in classic Dan Brown fashion, this trust is built in a convoluted way, and his choice of props is highly symbolic.
Literature and art often contain quotations or representations of various brands of cigarettes, or illustrations of people smoking. Although this sometimes happens because people think that artistic needs should prevail, we think that sometimes it is not fair.
