born 0441; 1255, Florence
died Aug. 27/28, 1300, Florence
Italian poet.
Born into an influential Florentine family, he studied with the philosopher and scholar Brunetto Latini, who had earlier taught Dante , Cavalcanti's close friend. After Dante, he is considered the greatest Italian poet and personality in 13th-century Italian literature. He left about 50 poems, many addressed to two women and on the theme of love. His language demonstrates the grace and directness of the dolce stil nuovo ("sweet new style"). Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Ezra Pound translated his poems.