Death Masks of the Famous and Infamous

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)

Dante Alighieri was a well-known Italian poet during the Middle Ages. Known as “the Father of the Italian Language,” his most recognized work is the Divine Comedy which is considered to be the best work of the Middle Ages as well as the greatest literary work of the Italian language. His work helped to inspire much of Western art, especially in regards to depictions of heaven and hell. However, after his death in 1321, for centuries, it was assumed that Dante’s face mask was real until it was discovered that the mask was made 162 years after Dante had died. So, although it isn’t the real face of Dante, it is a close depiction of his likeness.