Dante

(Durante degli Alighieri (May/June c.1265 – September 14, 1321), commonly known as Dante)

An Indiana connection? Of course!

One of the most complete collection of Dante's work (3,000+ volumes) is found in the Zahm Dante Collection at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend.

"Purchased for the most part by John A. Zahm, C.S.C., in 1902 from the Italian Dantophile Giulio Acquaticci, the 15th- and 16th-century imprints form the heart of the Dante collection, which totals nearly 3,000 volumes. Rare editions and critical studies ranging from the Renaissance to the present include eight incunabula and almost every edition published in the 16th century."

In addition, "The William & Katherine Devers Program in Dante Studies at the University of Notre Dame supports rare book acquisitions in the John A. Zahm, C.S.C., Dante Collection, as well as teaching and research about Dante across the Arts & Letters curriculum, in particular in the Medieval and Italian Studies areas, through the sponsorship of conferences, fellowships, lecture series, seminars, and visiting professorships."