Dante’s Chorographies: From the Territory to the Comedy

Between the 13th and 14th centuries, medieval Italian culture witnessed the emergence of regional and local territorial representations more prominently than in the rest of Europe. This detailed chorography, which developed both in the visual language of cartography and the verbal language of writing, evidently corresponds to the new practices of urban society, playing a central role in the conquest of rural areas and the increase in mobility, thereby engaging in a process of conceptual appropriation of space. Despite the diversity of expressive tools, the graphic and verbal chorography of the early 14th century reflect similar forms of territorial knowledge, based on an odological perspective and the need to reproduce the actual spatial and proportional relationships between the geographical objects represented. Moreover, Dante’s Comedy contains important chorography, composed in the formalized language of poetry. The analysis of these passages reveals construction methods perfectly integrated into the knowledge practices and the culture of territorial representation characteristic of his time. This is event was recorded on October 3,2024.

Speakers:
Professor Giovanna Corazza

For more information visit the event website.