Born in Tuscany in 1304, the Italian poet Francesco Petrarch is widely regarded as one of the fathers of the modern Italian language. His writings inspired the Humanist movement and, subsequently, the Renaissance, but few figures are as complex or misunderstood. He was an admirer of the ancient pagan Roman world and a devout Christian, cherished friendship and companionship, yet was at times a deeply private and almost misanthropic personality. He believed that life on Earth was little more than a temporary pilgrimage, and considered himself the most important subject of his work.

Christopher S. Celenza provides the first general assessment of Petrarch’s life and work in English in over thirty years, examining how his fame and identity have shifted through the centuries. He brings to light Petrarch’s unfulfilled love for his poetic muse, Laura, his student life experiences, his anti-institutional authority disposition as he sought a path to modernization by looking to antiquity, and his endless preoccupation with himself.

Based on both his Italian and Latin writings, this is a revealing portrait of a most paradoxical figure: a man of mystery, historical significance, and endless intrigue. Pages: 224, Dimensions: 13.8x13.8cm