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What kinds of objects were burned in the Bonfire of the Vanities in Florence?
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Girolamo Savonarola
Girolamo Savonarola, painting by Fra Bartolomeo; in the Museo di San Marco, Florence.
During the late 15th century in Florence, the friar Girolamo Savonarola led a moral crusade that included the collection and destruction of "vanities"—worldly possessions to which citizens were deemed too attached.1
Under his direction, bands of young followers went from house to house to persuade residents to surrender these items, which were then gathered and burned in a public bonfire as a symbolic act of moral purification. The objects destroyed in these fires included:1
- Dice and other gambling equipment1
- Books1
- Paintings1
- Elegant dresses1
This practice was part of a broader campaign against behaviors such as gambling, blasphemy, and illicit sex, reflecting Savonarola's efforts to reform the city's moral character.1