Florence and Boccaccio in Mid-1300s

Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375) was an Italian poet and author who was raised in the refined court of Anjou in Naples, the vibrant center of the Kingdom.

In 1340, he reluctantly returned to Florence, a city governed by a republic and teeming with merchants, wool production, a diverse population, frequent riots, conspiracies, and ultimately, bankruptcy, food shortages, plague, and war. Amidst this tumultuous historical backdrop, he achieved literacy acclaim by crafting one of the world's greatest masterpieces, the Decameron, while also engaging in the political affairs of his time. Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375) was an Italian poet and author who was raised in the refined court of Anjou in Naples, the vibrant center of the Kingdom.

Join us for this lecture in collaboration with Humanities Texas and the Consulate General of Italy Houston to commemorate the 650th anniversary of his death.

When: Monday from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., November 10, 2025 (with a Q&A after and a small reception)

Where: Italian Cultural & Community Center, 1101 Milford Street

Tickets: Free

Meet Your Instructor

Dr. Elsa Filosa is an Assistant Professor of the Practice in Italian at Vanderbilt University. She holds a Ph.D. in Romance Languages from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on Fourteenth century Italian Literature, with particular emphasis on Boccaccio, Petrarch, Dante. She published Tre Studi sul De mulieribus claris (Milan: LED Edizioni Universitarie, 2012), several articles on American and Italian journals, and three co-edited volumes. In 2015-2016 she was awarded the Villa I Tatti Fellowship in Florence, where she did research for her book Boccaccio’s Florence: Politics and People in his Life and Work (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, June 2022), winner of several prizes: Winner: Flaiano International Prize for Italian Studies; AATI Book Award for Literary, Critical Theory, and Cultural Studies< MLA Scaglione Prize for Italian Studies (Honorable Mention). She is Consigliere Aggregato dell’Ente Nazionale Giovanni Boccaccio.

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This course is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Humanities Texas, and the Consulate General of Italy Houston.

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