Dr. Rocky Ruggiero

Shortly after returning to Florence from Rome, Botticelli produced four “spalliere” (or “shoulder-height”) paintings of one of the most famous episodes from Boccaccio’s “Decameron” – the tale of Nastagio degli Onesti. Painted to celebrate the marriage of Giannozzo Pucci and Lucretia Bini in 1482, the four panels reflect the love that Renaissance Florentines had for secular painting often dealing with fantastic tales. The gruesome and dark tale of Nastagio as recounted by Boccaccio and illustrated by Botticelli is one that will certainly give you goosebumps!