The Decameron · Character

Calandrino

A painter so credulous his friends steal his pig, sell him invisible stones, and convince him he is pregnant — and he believes every word.

major

Also known as Quoth Calandrino, Methinketh Calandrino, the unhappy Calandrino

First appearance: The Fifth Story

As a major figure in The Decameron, Calandrino is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

A simple-witted painter who is tricked into believing he found the heliotrope stone; he beats his wife after the spell is broken.

In the storyThe Third StoryOpen this moment free

See Calandrino in The Third Story Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Calandrino is the neighborhood simpleton of Florence's painter guild, forever the butt of Bruno and Buffalmacco's elaborate practical jokes. His defining flaw is a bottomless gullibility wedded to greed: he will believe any scheme that promises him profit or pleasure, and his friends exploit this with a craftsman's patience. He matters because his disasters form a comic throughline across the Decameron, turning each of his humiliations into a mirror for the reader's own readiness to believe what flatters.

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The fuller portrait of Calandrino sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Calandrino in The Fifth Story

Character Web

18 connections

A slice of how Calandrino sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Psychological
Romantic
Other

Character groups

Pranks and Gullibility
Historical and Legendary Figures
Love and Deception

+13 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

In this story, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when Lisa, a lowborn apothecary’s daughter, is cons…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Bruno
psychological · negative
Bruno constantly plays cruel pranks on the gullible Calandrino, manipulating him for… How this plays out →
Niccolosa
romantic · ambivalent
Buffalmacco
psychological · negative
Bruno
psychological · negative
Bruno constantly plays cruel pranks on the gullible Calandrino, manipulating him for… How this plays out →
Buffalmacco
psychological · negative
Bruno
psychological · negative
Bruno constantly plays cruel pranks on the gullible Calandrino, manipulating him for… How this plays out →
Niccolosa
romantic · ambivalent
Niccolosa
romantic · ambivalent

Bruno
Bruno constantly plays cruel pranks on the gullible Calandrino, manipulating him for amusement and personal gain.
Niccolosa
Calandrino becomes infatuated with the prostitute Niccolosa, but his friends exploit his obsession for their own amusement.
Buffalmacco
Buffalmacco, along with Bruno, constantly tricks and exploits the naive Calandrino for entertainment and profit.
Bruno
Bruno constantly plays cruel pranks on the gullible Calandrino, manipulating him for amusement and personal gain.
Buffalmacco
Buffalmacco, along with Bruno, constantly tricks and exploits the naive Calandrino for entertainment and profit.
Bruno
Bruno constantly plays cruel pranks on the gullible Calandrino, manipulating him for amusement and personal gain.
Niccolosa
Calandrino becomes infatuated with the prostitute Niccolosa, but his friends exploit his obsession for their own amusement.
Niccolosa
Calandrino becomes infatuated with the prostitute Niccolosa, but his friends exploit his obsession for their own amusement.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Calandrino in The Fifth Story

In the story

Calandrino appears across 6 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Third Story
A simple-witted painter who is tricked into believing he found the heliotrope stone; he beats his wife after the spell is broken.
The Sixth Story
The gullible victim whose pig is stolen and who is then tricked into paying blackmail.
The Seventh Story
Mentioned in the opening as the subject of previous laughter, but not directly involved in this story.
The Third Story
The gullible victim who is convinced he is pregnant and pays for a fake cure.
The Fifth Story
Falls in love with Niccolosa and is tricked by Bruno and Buffalmacco into believing a talisman will win her over.
The Sixth Story
Mentioned as having previously provided laughter for the company, but not directly involved in this story.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Calandrino unlock in the free preview.

See Calandrino in The Fifth Story

See Calandrino in The Third Story