Vittorio Alfieri; Founder of Italian Tragedy

Another quite famous Italian redhead now; Vittorio Alfieri. Alfieri was a poet and dramatist and is considered the "founder of Italian tragedy".

He penned a "self-portrait" poem in which he described his hair colour;

Sublime mirror of truthful words, show me

In soul and body what I am: scant hair

Thinning above the brow, but still rich red,

A figure tall and slim, on two straight shanks

The poem in full can be found here; along with another "self-portrait" poem by fellow Italian redhead Ugo Foscolo. http://members.xoom.virgilio.it/wordreign/carl25.htm