Decameron Resources

Oekolos Productions hosts a yearly, modernized re-enactment of the storytelling game established in The Decameron. Visit this site—it's very cool.

Brown University's Department of Italian Studies hosts an awesomely comprehensive website for Boccaccio's major work. It includes timelines, studies of the storytellers, historical and cultural facts, maps and much more.

This is an adaptation of the bed swapping Pinuccio and Niccolosa (IX.6), rendered in terza rima verses, no longer than a twitter-ready 140 characters. The poet took first place in the Boccaccio AfterLife Award competition for the category of adaptations in writing.

Pier Paolo Pasolini's highly erotic adaptation of ten tales from The Decameron. Don't rely on these entertaining versions to get you through any exams, though—they've been freely interpreted from the original.

Four famous Italian directors (including Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti) create four "modern" tales inspired by The Decameron. Stars include Sophia Loren and Anita Ekberg, who features in a trippy vignette about an overly moral man pushed over the edge by a billboard advertisement for milk.

There are two films of the same name that attempt adaptations of Boccaccio's work. The 1924 version stars Lionel Barrymore (Drew Barrymore's granddaddy) as Saladin. The 1953 adaptation of some of the tales also has some serious star power behind it: Joan Collins as Pampinea and Joan Fontaine as Bartolomea, Fiammetta and others. How Hollywood is that? B would have loved it.

Dating to the 5th century A.D., this cemetery pre-dates our author by many centuries. However, the visuals and information in the article will give you a good sense of the sheer volume of human life lost during such an epidemic.

Three wooden panels painted in the 15th century depict the story of patient Griselda (X.10)—but they were in need of some serious restoration. This article discusses the use of technology in the repair of this artwork.

An unknown manuscript of Boccaccio's De Casibus Virorum Illustrium was found at a university library in Manchester during the summer of 2013. The manuscript comes from Paris and is a 15th century French translation of the work.

Students from Liceo Canopoleno in Sassari, Sardegna, Italy created a multi-lingual adaptation of Boccaccio's "Griselda" that took first place in the theater adaptation category of the Boccaccio AfterLife Award competition.

Although it's not the best quality video, this site offers you a peek at the 1971 adaptation of some of the tales of The Decameron. Warning: not suitable for super young audiences. Subtitles available.

Eyes too tired for a 700+ page read? This website thoughtfully provides sound files for the complete work, catalogued by day and story.

The BBC Night Waves show celebrated Boccaccio's big day with a discussion on the relevance of Boccaccio's work in our day. Hosts include the founder of The Decameron Web, a Boccaccio scholar and a man who shares his love for Boccaccio with inner city children.

The Bodleian Library provides brilliant images for some leaves of MS. Holkham Misc. 49, a 15th century presentation manuscript of The Decameron. Check it out—we know you've been dying to know what Neifile looked like.

Mary Mazziotti created a series of embroidered panels entitled "Sex and Death in The Decameron" for the Boccaccio AfterLife Award competition at Brown University. The panels deal with sexual violence in Boccaccio's work. You may have realized by now that the Brownians are obsessed with Boccaccio.

Take a 2-D tour of the Dominican church that was the starting and ending point for the journey in The Decameron.

This 15th century panel depicting the ninth story of Day Two is located at the National Galleries Scotland.

Painter John William Waterhouse imagines the rapt storytellers together in the garden. They are incomparable ladies.

Sandro Botticelli recreates The Decameron V.8, the story of a man who convinces his disdainful lover to marry him by forcing her to witness the eternal torment of souls that haunt the land. Botticelli tells the story in various panels.