Palazzo Portinari Inscription

This is an inscription placed on the Portinari house which was owned by Folco Portinari, an Italian banker. He was the father of six daughters and most notably Beatrice who many believe to be Dante’s muse in the “Divine Comedy.”

This inscription is a direct quote from Purgatorio Canto 30: “Over her snow-white veil with olive cinct appeared a lady under a green mantle, vested in colour of the living flame.” During this excerpt, Dante has a vision of Beatrice, dressed in white green and red, symbolizing faith, hope, and charity. She also is wearing a crown with an olive branch, symbolizing peace and wisdom. The last part about a living flame is about God’s presence, and how divine love can be transformative. Her physical appearance is radiating, which is also representative of her superior status to Dante as his guide through Paradise.

In real life, Beatrice Portinari is believed to have married into another family of bankers, the Bardi. One of the popular theories is that she died quite young due to giving birth to a son.

In his poem “Vita Nova,” Dante documents that he and Beatrice met as children in 1274 and again in 1283 as teenagers. However, her death in 1290 comes as a terrible shock, inspiring the poet to study philosophy and Latin texts, this depression finally coming to an end with the making of “Vita Nova,” meaning “rebirth.”