Boiardo

Boiardo, Matteo Maria | 1440/1441-1494
Matteo Maria Boiardo, an Italian Renaissance poet and courtier, is renowned for his contributions to both love poetry and chivalric romance. Born in 1441, he had close associations with the Este court in Ferrara and held various roles, including serving as Ercole d’Este’s representative in Modena and as governor of Reggio. Boiardo’s literary legacy is particularly notable for two major works: the Amorum libri tres, a collection of love poems, and the Orlando Innamorato, a significant chivalric romance.
Amorum libri tres (Canzoniere) Boiardo’s love poems, collectively known as the Amorum libri tres or Canzoniere, are recognized for their courtly elegance and Petrarchan lyricism. They reflect the ideals of courtly love and showcase Boiardo’s mastery of poetic expression.
Orlando Innamorato Boiardo’s most significant work is the Orlando Innamorato, an epic chivalric romance. The poem, left unfinished at Boiardo’s death in 1494, served as the foundation for Ludovico Ariosto’s later work, Orlando Furioso. The Orlando Innamorato is considered a fusion of Carolingian epic tradition and the matière de Bretagne, creating a distinctive Italian genre. Boiardo’s poem reflects the cultural and courtly ideals of the Italian Renaissance during the Este patronage.
The narrative features the struggle between the Christian forces led by Charlemagne and the pagan Agramante, but the focus is prominently on the Arthurian elements. Boiardo incorporates numerous fantastic adventures, magic fountains, enchanted forests, and intricate love stories. The central figure is Orlando, a transformed version of the French hero Roland. Orlando becomes a victim of the powerful forces of love, particularly through his interactions with Angelica, the daughter of the King of Cathay. Angelica is sent to undermine the valor of the Christian armies.
Courtly Elegance and Sensibility Boiardo’s Orlando Innamorato continues and evelops the cantari tradition of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, catering to the literary and aesthetic tastes of a court audience. The framework of the romance is rooted in the Carolingian tradition, but Boiardo’s emphasis on Arthurian elements infuses the narrative with courtly elegance and sensibility. The poem weaves episodes, locales, and characters from the Arthurian tradition into a tapestry of courtly sophistication, creating a work with a dinstinct international Gothic flavor.
Matteo Maria Boiardo’s legacy lies in his significant influence on the development of Italian romance literature, and the Orlando Innamorato stands as a masterpiece that laid the groundwork for later works in the genre.