The Secret of Botticelli. The Mystery of Lost and Found Masterpieces

About five hundred years ago, Sandro Botticelli, a modest and poor artist, created works of otherworldly beauty. The influential Medici family commissioned him to illustrate Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy." Unfortunately, these drawings were lost for nearly 400 years, and the great Botticelli was forgotten. This book tells the story of how the great artist returned from oblivion and the role his amazing illustrations of the "Divine Comedy" played in that. "Thanks to his wide cultural range, Luzzi reads Botticelli's drawings as 'poems' and as a crucial link in tracking the transition of the human spirit from one era to another." — The New Yorker "Full of unexpected twists and captivating details, the story of Botticelli's illustrations for Dante's poem, nonetheless, becomes, according to Luzzi, a story about the power of art that shapes life." — Claire Messud, Harpers "Luzzi's lively book brilliantly recreates the scene of vibrant, brutal Renaissance Florence and brings to life the characters who helped resurrect Botticelli." — Max Norman, Wall Street Journal Joseph Luzzi is a professor of literature at Bard College, a writer, teacher, and researcher of Italian culture. He is the author of five books and lives in the Hudson River Valley in New York.