Page 7 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
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An exclusive view on The Decameron of
Giovanni Boccaccio, the most enjoyable
anthology of 100 stories ever composed in the
wake of the Black Death (c.1348-1353) on
101 etchings by Petru Russu (c.1985-1986)
Sandro Botticelli, Italian Quattrocento painter, painted also reinterpreted the Decameron. It stands out: the
several pictures illustrating stories of the Decameron. famous painting by John William Waterhouse, A Tale
History Nastgio degli Onesti is the most praised, from Decameron. In ancient castles Italian frescoes
illustrates the fifth story of the Fourth Day (Hell of cruel illustrating the Decamerón decorating the rooms, in the
lovers) in which a young man in love with a lady but exterior walls of a house of Stein am Rhein in Canton
unrequited, viewed as a gentleman and two mastiffs Sciaffusa and as decoration of Renaissance furniture.
chasing a young gentleman gives his heart to feed They have also made numerous illustrated editions of
the dogs. Tables decorated a chest wedding are made the Decameron, as the magnificent Celedonio Perellón
with mixed media on board and are of 1483, of the more than one hundred etchings and illustrations of
Florentine school. They are exposed in the Museo del the artist. Some contemporary artists like Dali, Manzù,
Prado, Madrid. Other artists like Pisanello, Pesellino, Guttuso, Chagall, Masuo Ikeda or Petru Russu were
Signorelli, Ghirlandaio, Filippino Lippi and Carpaccio inspired by the text to create some of his compositions.
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