Giovanni Boccaccio (1313 - December 21, 1375) was an Italian writer, poet, correspondent of Petrarch, and an important Renaissance humanist. He was the son of a Florentine merchant, Boccaccino di Chellino, and an unknown woman; he was likely born out of wedlock. Boccaccio wrote a number of notable works, including The Decameron and On Famous Women. As a poet who wrote in the Italian vernacular, Boccaccio is particularly noted for his realistic dialogue, which differed from that of his contemporaries, medieval writers who usually followed formulaic models for character and plot. His final years were troubled by illnesses, some relating to obesity and what often is described as dropsy, severe edema that would be described today as congestive heart failure. He died in 1375 at the age of 62.