Meet Dante. Not the best looking man in the world, but certainly better-looking than he has often been depicted in famous paintings. Scientists believe this face is the closest match to the poet’s skull found in his tomb.

And for Dante scholars it has thrown up a few surprises. They always imagined him to have a long aquiline nose.

But the team from the University of Bologna, who remodelled this face, believe it was bent and crooked.

They used computer technology and new forensic techniques to simulate the muscles with plaster, plastic and other materials.

“When we finished it, he looked more ordinary, like the guy next door. I thought this would have caused a scandal but most people think he looks more human.”

There’s always been a cottage industry in phony death masks, artifacts, purpose-built souvenirs of famous corpses. Nice to see a little forensic expertise applied.