Three Castles, Defensive Wall and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzona

“Venimmo al piè d’un nobile castello”. Un disegno di Bruno Bossi per il secentenario dantesco del 1921

A previously unpublished drawing by Bruno Bossi, created during the 1921 Dante celebrations, offers new insights into his early artistic and architectural interests. The 'estempore' sketch, made within an hour, visually interprets a passage from Dante's Inferno (Canto IV), depicting a monumental castle with seven walls—a design that reflects both Dante's poetic imagery and the fortified architecture of Bellinzona, Switzerland. Bossi’s work, linked to a student trip to Ravenna led by architect Ambrogio Annoni, showcases his precocious talent and foreshadows his lifelong engagement with cinema and theater. The study highlights how this lesser-known artifact provides a unique lens into the intersection of literature, architecture, and the arts in early 20th-century Europe.