Historical figure character reconstruction: Dante Alighieri
Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri, commonly known as Dante, was an Italian philosopher, poet, and writer. His masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, is widely regarded as one of the most important literary works of the Middle Ages and the most significant piece ever written in the Italian language. Like many of his Florentine contemporaries, Dante was deeply involved in the political life of his city, which was torn by the conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines. To support his political ambitions, he joined the Guild of Physicians and Apothecaries—a strategic move that reflected the close ties between philosophy, medicine, and the literary world, as apothecaries also served as booksellers. Membership in the guild granted him eligibility for public office, and over the years, he held several political positions during a period of intense civic unrest. Ultimately, Dante was exiled by the Black Guelphs on charges of treachery. It was likely during this period of exile that he began composing The Divine Comedy.
I chose this studio project because of my deep passion for history, particularly the rich cultural and intellectual legacy of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Dante Alighieri has long fascinated me, not only as one of Italy’s greatest literary figures but also as a complex political thinker navigating the turbulent Florentine society of his time. Working on this reconstruction felt especially timely, as it aligns with the recent 700th anniversary of Dante’s death—a milestone that reawakened interest in his life and work.
The aim of this project was to create a historically grounded 3D character reconstruction of Dante Alighieri, capturing the poet’s visual and cultural identity through a synthesis of his physical attributes, wardrobe, and the social markers of his era. This reconstruction intends to balance artistic fidelity with historical accuracy, contextualizing Dante as both a renowned poet and an influential political figure in 13th-14th century Florence.
To achieve a likeness I utilised diverse sources, including morphological data from Dante’s funerary mask and reconstructed skull, Renaissance and medieval
portraits, and literary descriptions by contemporaries like Boccaccio and Villani. Each source provides insight into Dante’s physical traits, including his distinctive aquiline nose, dark hair, and thoughtful countenance.
