Picturing people: Italian Art and Society during the Renaissance

Portrait painting was one of the most interesting art forms of the Renaissance period and it is through the study of portraits that this course will explore Italian history and culture of the 14th and 15th centuries. We will look at Renaissance portraits not only as works of art but also as historical documents, providing important data on the history, culture, society and fashion of the period. The course includes a study of portraits in sculpture and painting from Donatello to Michelangelo and from Raphael to Titian. Self-portraiture and autobiography by artists from Ghiberti to Benvenuto Cellini will also form an essential part of the course.

(Requirements: basic knowledge of and interest in Italian Renaissance History)

Teacher: Stefania Tullio Cataldo, Francesco Mori