Rebuilding The Renaissance
This podcast explores the development of art, architecture, culture, and history in Italy from ancient Roman times through the Renaissance. Listeners will gain an understanding of Italy's role in the development of Western civilization and learn to appreciate works of art in their historical context.
Episodes
Episode 404 - Puglia: Italy's Best Kept Secret
From the natural beauty of its countryside and coast, to the man-made beauty of its architecture, to the beauty of its artisanal and culinary traditions, the Italian region of Puglia is simply astonishing. The capital city of Bari is the resting place of one of Christianity's best-known saints - St. Nicholas. The city of Lecce is referred to as "the Florence of Southern Italy" for its beautiful a
Episode 403 - Answers to Open Questions XXX
From the weird shading in Masaccio's "Expulsion of Adam and Eve,", to whether Michelangelo's "David" is left or right handed, to how to find out about upcoming exhibitions dedicated to Italian Renaissance art, to my opinion about the "Cupid" sculpture attributed to Michelangelo by the Met, to why more people don't listen to Rab Hatfield, and much, much more - this episode answers the very quest
Episode 402 - Sicily - The Ancient Theater of Taormina
Originally built in the 3rd century BCE, the ancient Greek theater of Taormina is the second largest Greek theater in Sicily after Siracusa. Constructed against the natural slope of Mt. Taurus, the structure can accommodate up to10,000 spectators and offers spectacular views of the Ionian Sea and Mt. Etna. It is still used today for musical performances and film festivals.
Episode 401 - Sicily - Taormina - "The Pearl of the Mediterranean"
Often called the "Pearl of the Mediterranean," Taormina, Italy is set on Mt. Taurus and surrounded by endless magnificent views of both sea and mountains, offering Mediterranean beauty everywhere you look. Taormina is also home to the second largest ancient theater in Sicily after Siracusa. As is customary for Greek theaters, it is carved into the stone slope of a natural hill, using the backdrops
Episode 400 - Sicily - Neapolis Archeological Park of Siracusa
The archeological park of Siracusa, Sicily is in one of the five ancient districts of Siracusa known as the Neapolis - "the new city." Its two major ancient monuments are a massive ancient Greek theater from the 5th century BCE carved directly into the limestone rock of the Temenite hill and an equally impressive ancient Roman amphitheater which had a seating capacity of some 20,000 spectators. B
Episode 399 - Sicily - Siracusa and Ortygia
Ortygia is a small island forming the historical center of the Sicilian city of Siracusa. While already inhabited by native Sicels in ancient times, Siracusa became an ancient superpower after Greek colonists settled there in the 8th century BCE and became part of Magna Graecia. In fact, Ortygia contains many of the city's oldest landmarks, including the Greek Temple of Apollo, the Fountain of Ar
Episode 398 - Sicily - The Mosaics of the Villa Romana del Casale
Covering nearly 3,500m2 of floor surface, the mosaic decoration of the Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina, Sicily, are almost unique not only in their scale, but also in their extraordinary state of preservation. The two most noteworthy and famous mosaics are the "Great Hunt," which is nearly 70m long and the surprising "Bikini Girls" mosaic which has gained international notoriety.
Episode 397 - Sicily - Villa Romana del Casale
Located in the very heart of Sicily in a town called Piazza Armerina, the Villa Romana del Casale is an archeological site containing the remains of an ancient Roman "Latifundium," or agricultural estate. The massive building is incredibly well preserved and provides us with a vivid glimpse of Roman life in the early 4th century CE. It is also home to an extensive mosaic program covering 3,500m2
Episode 396 - Sicily - The Charming Town of Erice
Situated about 750m above sea level in the northwestern part of Sicily, Erice is one of the most charming of Sicilian towns. Characterized by narrow, medieval streets flanked by churches and palaces, Erice is simply a delight to stroll through. Its main church is known as the "Chiesa Matrice" ("Mother church") and was built at the beginning of the 14th century. The Norman castle in Erice is known
Episode 395 - Sicily - The Archeological Park of Selinunte
Selinunte is home to one of the most important archaeological sites from the Greek period in Italy. Located on the west coast of Sicily, it was the most westerly of ancient Greek colonies and one of the most important. Its ancient public spaces, temples, fortifications, and houses are remarkably well preserved and date as far back as far as the middle of the 6th century BCE.
Episode 394 - Sicily - Segesta
Located about an hour west of Palermo in Sicily, Segesta is home to a magnificent Greek-style, Doric order temple built in the 5th century BCE. Perched high up on a hill, offering breathtaking views of the nearby Gulf of Castellammare, the temple and nearby ancient theater are testimony to the ancient people of Segesta who were known as Elymians.
Episode 393 - Answers to Open Questions - XXIX
From how I go about recording my podcasts, to great Italian Renaissance art in England, to where to stay in Sicily, to the similarities between Michelangelo's unfinished "Entombment" and Pontormo's "Capponi Altarpiece," to Parmigianino's ceiling in Fontanellato, to where Michelangelo got his talent, and much, much more - this episode answers the very questions that you ask me about the great a
Episode 392 - Sicily - The Valley of the Temples
The Valley of the temples in Agrigento, Sicily, is an archeological area containing the remains of seven ancient Greek temples, in varying states of conservation. Located along a ridge with breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea in the distance, it represents one of the world's most important collections of Ancient Greek architecture.
Episode 391 - Sicily - Agrigento
The southern Sicilian city of Agrigento was founded in 580 BCE by a group of Greek colonists from the nearby town of Gela with the name "Akragas." It quickly became one of Magna Grecia's most important cities and eventually defeated a Carthaginian army at the Battle of Himera in 480BCE. To celebrate the victory, a series of majestic temples were built along a nearby and known today as "The Valley
Episode 390 - Sicily - The Mosaics of Monreale Cathedral
Covering some 6,500m2 (70,000ft2), the spectacular mosaic cycle of Monreale Cathedral in Sicily is one of the largest in the world. The mosaics were created in the 12th and 13th centuries by order of Norman King William II in the Byzantine style. While the nave and clerestory mosaics depict Old Testament stories, the side aisle walls, instead, depict New Testament stories. The entire program culm
Episode 389 - Sicily - Monreale Cathedral
According to legend, in the 12th century, the Virgin Mary appeared to King William II of Sicily while he was napping and ordered him to build a church on a hill just 7km south of Palermo, Italy. The result is one of the greatest churches of the Middle Ages - Monreale Cathedral. Next to the majestic church, whose interior contains Italy's largest mosaic, is an exotic cloister that was clearly infl
Episode 388 - Palermo - The Church and Convent of Santa Caterina
Originally built in the 14th century, the Dominican church and convent were both renovated in the 16th century. While the church displays a n almost dizzying example of Sicilian Baroque architecture, the well-preserved convent is instead quite sober and reflects what mosaic life was like for the nuns. The convent is also home to a still active bakery called "I Segreti del Chiostro" which offers v
Episode 387 - Palermo - The Fountain of Shame (Pretorian Fountain)
Originally carved in 1554 for the garden of a Spanish nobleman in Florence, the so-called "Fountain of Shame" was dissembled in 644 pieces and transported to Palermo, Sicily, after having been sold to the Senate of Palermo. Situated on the western side of the Dominican church and nunnery of Santa Caterina, the abundant nudity of the fountain was thought to be shameful in such proximity to the cha
Episode 386 - Palermo - Quattro Canti
The Quattro Canti is a spectacular example of Sicilian Baroque architecture on a grand scale! Marking the entrance to Palermo's historic district, the Quattro Canti (technically Piazza Vigliena) is a large octagonal piazza laid out in the early 17th century, four side of which are occupied by Baroque facades. Each of these facades contains allegorical fountains on the ground level, statues of Si
Episode 385 - Palermo - The Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio (La Martorana)
Construction on the church of Sant Maria dell'Ammiraglio in Palermo, Italy, began in 1143 CE under the patronage of George of Antioch, admiral of King Roger II's navy, from which the church gets its name. The church preserves an extraordinary collection of 12th-century mosaics, the two most important of which are "Christ Coronating King Roger II" and " George of Antioch at the Feet of the Virgin
Episode 384 - Palermo - The Palatine Chapel
Built as a royal chapel in the 12th century CE by King Roger II, the Norman ruler of Sicily, the Palatine Chapel is a beautiful manifestation of the influences of Byzantine, Norman, and Islamic art and architecture. The chapel is home to one of Italy's most important examples Byzantine mosaic decoration and an almost unique example of a non-Islamic muqarnas ceiling.
Episode 383 - Sicily: Palermo and the Story of Santa Rosalia
Born to a noble Norman family in the 12th century, Santa Rosalia became Palermo's most important patron saint when she miraculously saved the city from a devastating plague in 1624. Still today, she is venerated and celebrated by both the people of Palermo as well as Sicilians throughout the world.
Episode 382 - Sicily - Palermo Cathedral
Originally built in the 12th century, Palermo Cathedral was continually modified for the next six centuries. While much of its original and rather exotic Norman architecture survives on the exterior, the interior is entirely Neoclassical in design. Palermo Cathedral is home to the tomb of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and the remains Palermo's patron saint, Santa Rosalia.
Episode 381 - Palermo - 3,000 Years of History, Beauty, and Traditions
Founded by the Phoenicians nearly 3,000 years ago, Palermo subsequently became a Greek, Carthaginian, Roman, Arab, and Norman city. This mix of civilizations is palpable in Palermo art, architecture, food, and customs of the city. This podcast explores this magical Sicilian city's three millennia of history, beauty, and traditions.
Episode 380 - The Soul of Sicily
The Italian Island of Sicily is one of the most magical places on earth. Embraced by the Mediterranean, Tyrrhenian, and Ionian Seas, kissed by warm sunshine nearly year-round, home to three active volcanoes – the largest of which, "Her Majesty," Mt. Etna, looms over the island like a sleeping giant – and a multi-colored landscape that includes forests, farmland, and arid fields, Sicily, it seems,
Episode 379 - Answers to Open Questions Part XXVIII
From the origins of the name "Rialto," to mysterious statues on the facade of Florence Cathedral, to the connection between Piero della Francesca and Caravaggio, to the reason why the red pigment in Fra Angelico's frescoes glitter, to great Italian Renaissance art in England, and much, much more - this episode answers the very questions that you ask me about the great art, artists, and history o
Episode 378 - Florence: Palazzo Davanzati
Built in the 14th century for the Davizzi family, before being sold to the Davanzati family in the 16th century, the Palazzo Davanzati is today home of the "Museum of the Old Florentine House." The various floors showcase domestic spaces and household objects to recreate life in a medieval Florentine home.
Episode 377 - Florence - the Museum of Santa Maria Novella
The Museum of Santa Maria Novella is in the convent of the great Dominican complex of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy. It consists of a series of cloisters and spaces that house various artistic masterpieces including the frescoes of the Spanish Chapel, Paolo Uccello's "Stories of Noah, Abraham, and Jacob," and Suor Plautilla Nelli's (who was a Dominican nun and painter) once lost "Last Su
Episode 376 - Florence: The Museum of Santa Croce
The Museum of Santa Croce in Florence, Italy, occupies the former refectory and wing of the Franciscan convent that separated two cloisters. It includes the celebrated Pazzi Chapel, a "God the Father" statue by Bacio Bandinelli, Taddeo Gaddi's "Lignum Vitae," Donatello's "St. Louis of Toulouse," and Giorgio Vasari's "Last Supper."
Episode 375 - Florence - The Pitti Palace (Palatine Gallery)
Originally part of the residence of the Medici dynasty, the Palatine Gallery encompasses the entire second floor of the Pitti Palace in Florence, Italy. Its collection includes the largest concentration of paintings by Raphael in the world, as well as works by Titian, Artemisia Gentileschi, Andrea del Sarto, Caravaggio, and Rubens. The paintings in their lavish frames entirely cover the walls of
Episode 374 - Naples - The Archeological Museum
The Archeological Museum in Naples, Italy, contains one of the world's most important collections of ancient Greco-Roman art and artifacts. The collection includes the "Farnese Bull" - the largest ancient sculpture ever recovered, the "Farnese Hercules," the "Farnese Atlas," and the spectacular "Alexander Mosaic" from Pompeii which depicts an episode of the legendary Battle of Issus between Alexa
Episode 373 - Naples - The Capodimonte Museum
Sometimes referred to as "the Uffizi of southern Italy," the Capodimonte Museum in Naples, Italy, houses one of the world's most important collections of Italian Renaissance painting. It includes masterpieces such as the "Crucifixion" by Masaccio, Titian's "Danaë" and "Portrait of Pope Paul III," Caravaggio's "Flagellation," and Artemisia Gentileschi's "Judith and Holofernes," just to name a few
Episode 372 - Parma - The National Gallery
Located in the remains of the 16th-century Palazzo del Pilotta, once the royal residence of the Farnese dukes of Parma, the National Gallery houses one of Italy's premier collections of Renaissance paintings. It includes masterpieces by Fra Angelico, Correggio, Parmigianino, and Leonardo da Vinci.
Episode 371 - Venice: The Accademia Gallery Part III
The Accademia Gallery in Venice, Italy, houses the world's most important collection of Venetian Renaissance painting. This last episode dedicated to this extraordinary museum examines masterpieces by Gentile Bellini ("Stories of the Relic of the True Cross"), Vittore Carpaccio ("Healing of a Madman" and "The Legend of St. Ursula") and Titian ("The Presentation of the Virgin").
Episode 370 - Venice: The Accademia Gallery Part II
The Accademia Gallery in Venice, Italy, houses the world's most important collection of Venetian Renaissance painting. This episode examines masterpieces by Paolo Veronese ("The Feast in the House of Levi"), Tintoretto ("The Stealing of the Body of St. Mark" and "The Miracle of the Slave"), and Titian ("The Pietà").
Episode 369 - Venice: The Accademia Gallery Part I
The Accademia Gallery in Venice, Italy, houses the world's most important collection of Venetian Renaissance painting. This episode examines the history of the building and collection, as well as masterpieces by Paolo Veneziano, Giovanni Bellini, and Giorgione.
Episode 368 - Answers to Open Questions XXVII
From the identity of a frequently seen character in Caravaggio paintings to how many Caravaggio paintings there are in the world to how to secure tickets for Leonardo's "Last Supper" to how much the Medici were worth, and much, much more - this episode answers the very questions that you ask me about the great art, artists, and history of the Italian Renaissance.
Episode 367 - Vatican Museums - St. Peter's Basilica
The magnificent Basilica of St. Peter is our last stop as we explore the extraordinary collection of art and architecture in the Vatican. In addition to its great scale and beautiful decorum, the basilica is also home to renowned masterpieces such as Michelangelo's "Pietà" and Bernini's "Baldacchino," as well as the tombs of St. Pope John Paul II and St. Pope John XXIII.
Episode 366 - Vatican Museums - The Sistine Chapel
The most famous work of art in the Vatican Museums is Michelangelo's "Sistine Chapel Ceiling." This episode explains how best to experience this stunning work of art, as well as the other masterpieces that are in the Sistine Chapel.
Episode 365 - Vatican Museums - The Raphael Rooms
The next major stop in your visit to the Vatican Museums after the Gallery of the Maps is the former apartments of Pope Julius II. They are known as the "Rooms of Raphael" because they were decorated with beautiful frescoes by Raphael between 1507 and 1513, including his famous "School of Athens." This fresco depicts the greatest philosophical and scientific minds of the ancient world including P
Episode 364 - Vatican Museums - Galleries of the Tapestries and Geographical Maps
This podcast examines the extraordinary collection of 16th and 17th century tapestries in the Vatican collection, many of which were designed by Raphael and his workshop. It also looks at the amazing array of geographical maps of Italian territories and Papal dominions in Renaissance Italy that cover more than a football field of wall space!
Episode 363 - Vatican Museums - The Belvedere Courtyard and Pio Clementino Museum
This episode explores the majestic Belvedere Courtyard, which was designed by Donato Bramante at the beginning of the 16th century. It also examines the 18th-century Pio Clementino Museum which houses ancient Greek and Roman sculptural masterpieces such as the Laocoön, Apollo Belvedere, and the Belvedere Torso.
Episode 362 - Vatican Museums - The Pinacoteca
While more than 7 million people visit the Vatican Museums each year, few of them realize there is much more to this extraordinary collection than just the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. The Pinacoteca, or "painting gallery," of the Vatican Museums opened in 1932 and includes masterpieces by Giotto, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Bernini.
Episode 361 - Rome - The National Gallery of Ancient Art in the Barberini Palace
Located in the beautiful Baroque Barberini Palace, the National Gallery of Ancient Art contains works of art produced before the year 1800. It includes masterpieces by Andrea del Sarto, Bronzino, Canaletto, Titian, and Tintoretto. But the collection's most important works are Caravaggio's "Judith and Holofernes," Bernini's "Bust of Pope Urban VIII," and Pietro da Cortona's spectacular ceiling fre
Episode 360 - Rome - The Borghese Gallery (Part IV)
This 4th and final episode dedicated to extraordinary art collection in the Borghese Gallery in Rome, Italy, focuses on the painting collection on the second floor of the museum, which includes masterpieces by Raphael, Correggio, and Titian.
Episode 359 - Rome: The Borghese Gallery (Part III)
This episode takes you through the 1st-floor rooms of the Borghese Gallery in Rome, Italy. It discusses the breathtaking early statues by Gian Lorenzo Bernini - "Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius," "Pluto and Persephone," "Apollo and Daphne," and "David," as well as Antonio Canova's sublime Neoclassical "Paolina Bonaparte as Venus Victrix."
Episode 358 - Rome: The Borghese Gallery (Part II)
This podcast takes you into the extraordinary building and collection of the Borghese Gallery in Rome, Italy. From the great hall with its beautiful ceiling fresco, ancient Roman floor mosaics depicting gladiators and beast hunters, and ancient/Baroque statue of "Marcus Curtius," to the adjoining Caravaggio room which houses six paintings by the great master, a visitor to the Borghese Gallery is
Episode 357 - Rome: The Borghese Gallery I
Shortly after his election, Pope Paul V Borghese decided to transform his land outside the Porta Pinciana in Rome, Italy, into the city's greatest villa complex. The result was one of the most beautiful and majestic examples of traditional and landscape architecture. The building, today known as the Borghese Gallery, as well as the surrounding gardens evolved over three centuries. This first epis
Episode 356 - Answers to Open Questions XXVI
From my opinion on the recently discovered paintings attributed to Caravaggio, to the influence of Hadrian's Villa on Borromini's architecture, to a possible connection between Caravaggio's "Burial of St. Lucy" and the movie "Schindler's List," to why Michelangelo's "David" is more famous than Bernini's, and much, much more - this episode answers the very questions that you ask me about the gr
Episode 355 - Rome - The Doria Pamphilj Gallery
Located in the Doria Pamphilj Palace (where the Doria Pamphilj family still resides) on the Via del Corso in the heart of Rome, Italy, the gallery houses one of Italy's most important art collections. It includes portraits of Pope Innocent X by Velasquez and Bernini, as well as two of Caravaggio's earliest paintings – the "Penitent Magdalene" and the "Rest on the Flight into Egypt."
Episode 354 - Rome - The Capitoline Museums
The Capitoline Museums are a group of art and archaeological museums located on top of the Capitoline Hill, which was the political and religious center of ancient Rome. Their collections focus on the history of Rome and include masterpieces such as the "Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius," the "Capitoline Wolf, " the "Dying Gaul, " but also later masterpieces such as Caravaggio's "Fortune Telle
Episode 353 - Milan: The Ambrosian Art Gallery
Part of the Ambrosian Library in Milan, Italy, the Ambrosian Art Gallery was founded along with the library by the celebrated Cardinal Federico Borromini in 1609 to house his extensive collection of manuscripts, books, and paintings. The collection today includes "The Portrait of a Musician" attributed by many to Leonardo da Vinci, the "Cartoon for the School of Athens" by Raphael, and "The Baske
Episode 352 - Milan - The Brera Gallery Part II
Located in Milan, Italy, and inaugurated on Napoleon's birthday on August 15, 1812, the Pinacoteca di Brera (Brera Art Gallery) contains one of the world's most important collections of Italian Renaissance painting. This second episode explores masterpieces by Piero della Francesca, Raphael, and Caravaggio.
Episode 351 - Milan - The Brera Art Gallery (Part I)
Located in Milan, Italy, and inaugurated on Napoleon's birthday on August 15, 1812, the Pinacoteca di Brera (Brera Art Gallery) contains one of the world's most important collections of Italian Renaissance painting. This first episode explores masterpieces by Giovanni Bellini, Andrea Mantegna, Tintoretto. Paolo Veronese, and Vittore Carpaccio.
Episode 350 - Siena: The National Painting Gallery
The National Painting Gallery in Siena, Italy, known locally as the "Pinacoteca Nazionale," houses one of the world's most important collections of medieval and Renaissance Sienese paintings. It includes two rare paintings by Duccio di Buoninsegna, as well as masterpieces by Simone Martini, Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Il Sodoma and Domenico Beccafumi.
Episode 349 - Siena - The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum)
The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo houses some of medieval Siena's most important masterpieces. Works such as Duccio's "Maestà" and stained-glass window, Giovanni Pisano's 13th-century facade sculptures, and Donatello's "Madonna del Perdono" are but a few of those masterpieces.
Episode 348 - Florence - The Accademia Gallery
While most people visit the Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy, to see Michelangelo's great statue of "David," there is much more to this museum. The Accademia is also home to masterpieces by Botticelli, Lippi, Giambologna, Perugino, Andrea del Sarto and Pontormo, as well as Michelangelo's unfinished "Slaves."
Episode 347 - Florence - Museum of Orsanmichele
Built in the 14th century, the Museum of Orsanmichele was originally a grain market, but later turned into a church. The museum is housed inside of this church and includes a beautiful "Madonna and Child by Bernardo Daddi and a magnificent Gothic "Tabernacle" by Orcagna on the ground floor, as well as many sculptural masterpieces by Donatello, Ghiberti, Verrocchio, and Giambologna on the first f
Episode 346 - Florence - The Casa Buonarroti Museum
Once a property owned and lived in by Michelangelo, the Casa Buonarroti Museum was created by the famous artist's nephew to celebrate the legacy of his famous uncle. The museum contains Michelangelo's two earliest known sculptures - "The Madonna of the Stairs" and "The Battle of the Centaurs," his spectacular wooden model for the facade of San Lorenzo and the world's largest collection of Michela
Episode 345 - Florence – The Bargello Museum Part III
The collection of sculptures on the ground floor of the Bargello Museum in Florence, Italy, contains one of the world's most important collections of 16th-century sculptures, including Michelangelo's "Bacchus" and "Pitti Tondo," Giambologna's "Mercury" and "Florence Triumphing over Pisa," and Cellini's wax bozzetto (or small model) for his "Perseus with the Head of Medusa."
Episode 344 - Florence – The Bargello Museum Part II
The collection of sculptures in the great hall of the Bargello Museum in Florence, Italy, located on the second floor, contains one of the world's most important collections of sculptures, including Ghiberti's and Brunelleschi's "Competition Panels," Donatello's marble and bronze "Davids" and "St. George," and Verrocchio's bronze "David."
Episode 343 - Florence: The Bargello Museum - Part I
The building that houses the Bargello Museum in Florence, Italy, is the earliest example of civic architecture in Florence, built in 1255. Today it houses one of the world's greatest collections of Renaissance sculpture, including works by Donatello, Ghiberti, Brunelleschi, Verrocchio, Michelangelo, Giambologna, and Bernini.
Episode 342 - Florence: Museo dell"Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum) Part 4
This podcast explores the extraordinary artwork found on the second floor (Primo Piano) of the Cathedral Museum of Florence, including the beautiful belltower sculptures by Donatello, the "Cantorie" by Donatello and Luca della Robbia, and the Neo-Gothic façade proposals.
Episode 341 - Florence – Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum) Part III
This podcast examines two of the greatest sculptures of all time – Donatello's "Penitent Magdalene" and Michelangelo's "Florence Pietà" – which are part of amazing collection of the Museo dell"Opera del Duomo in Florence, Italy.
Episode 340 - Florence: Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum) Part 2
The Cathedral Museum of Florence, Italy, contains the three original bronze doors from Florence Baptistry by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti. This podcast analyzes history, style, and influence of all three masterpieces.
Episode 339 - Florence – Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum) Part 1
The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in Florence is one of the world's premier sculpture museums with works by Donatello, Ghiberti, and Michelangelo. This podcast examines the history of the museum and its spectacular reconstruction of the original early 14th-century façade of Florence Cathedral.
Episode 338 - Answers to Open Questions XXV
From Leonardo making marzipan sculptures and his "Madonna of the Yarnwinder," to whether Jesus died of cardiogenic shock or asphyxiation, to the recently discovered "Judith and Holofernes" and "Ecce Homo" attributed to Caravaggio, to how to transfer panel paintings to canvas, to how to recognize a Michelangelo, to whether being familiar with historical context increases your appreciation of a wor
Episode 337 - Canova's "Three Graces"
Antonio's Canova's statue of the "Three Graces" is considered a benchmark of beauty. It's elegantly erotic representation of the Three Graces huddled in an intimate composition is a fitting final representation of the subject born in the ancient Greco-Roman world and later revived in the Renaissance.
Episode 336 - Canova's "Paolina Bonaparte as Venus Victrix"
Napoleon's younger sister, Paolina Bonaparte, married Prince Camillo Borghese in 1803. One year later the prince commissioned Antonio Canova to carve his new wife as the mythological goddess of chastity, Diana. The licentious Paolina laughed off the suggestion claiming that no one would be believe her a virgin and chose to be represented scandalously as the semi-nude Venus instead.
Episode 335 - Canova's "Perseus Triumphant"
Carved in only a few months between 1800-1801, Canova's "Perseus Triumphant" is one of history's great sculptures. It exists in several versions, the most important of which are in the Vatican and Metropolitan Museums. Clearly inspired by Cellini's earlier version, Canova also depicts the Greek hero as he contemplates his victory over the Gorgon as he stares at her severed head.
Episode 334 - Canova's "Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker"
In 1802, Napoleon courted Antonio Canova to go to Paris to make a bust of him. Four years later, Canova instead completed an 11ft. (3.5m) free-standing idealized nude statue depicting Napoleon as the Roman god of war, Mars. Surprisingly, Napoleon was not pleased with the sculpture, describing it as "too athletic."
Episode 333 - Canova's "Cupid and Psyche"
Carved by Antonio Canova in 1787 and today located in the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Neoclassical sculpture of "Cupid and Psyche" is one of history's most beautiful and popular sculptures. The romantic sculpture depicts Cupid cradling the head of his lover after reviving her from a supernatural slumber, while she reaches up to him preparing to receive a kiss.
Episode 332 - The Life of Antonio Canova
Antonio Canova was Europe's most famous artist round the year 1800. His sublime Neoclassical style sculptures – such as "Cupid and Psyche," ""Perseus with the Head of Medusa," and the "The Venus Victrix (Paolina Bonaparte)" - are some of the most beautiful in the history of art. This podcast will explore the life and career of the great Italian sculptor.
Episode 331 - The Ceiling Fresco of Sant'Ignazio in Rome
One of Rome's most spectacular works of art is the illusionistic fresco that covers the ceiling of the church Sant'Ignazio. It was painted in 1685, covers nearly 40m of ceiling surface and depicts the "Glorification of St. Ignatius of Loyola" in an extraordinary example of trompe-l'oeil perspectival painting.
Episode 330 - Rome: The Capuchin Crypt
Located on the famous Via Veneto in Rome, Italy, the 17th-century Capuchin Crypt is one of the world's most unique examples of funerary decoration. It consists of a series of rooms decorated with human bones! Each room has a different theme based on the type of bone used – skulls, pelvises, leg bones, etc., resulting in an absolutely fascinating – some might say macabre – display of human creativi
Episode 329 - The Spanish Steps
Built between 1723 and 1725, the Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy, are one of the most famous staircases in the world. Consisting of 135 stairs spread over different levels, the steps were immortalized in the famous movie "Roman Holiday" and today are one of the most popular destinations of the "eternal City."
Episode 328 - The Trevi Fountain (Rome)
The Trevi Fountain is arguably the world's most famous fountain! It was designed in 1732 by the Roman architect Nicola Salvi for a competition staged by Pope Clement XII. Rushing water passes through massive allegorical sculptures and blocks of stones into a massive stone basin in a uniquely dramatic fashion.
Episode 327 - Answers to Open Questions XXIV
From how many paintings Caravaggio produced, to visiting Florence at Easter time, to how form and color were applied in Renaissance painting, to an overlooked equestrian monument, to finding the wooden beams in Brunelleschi's dome, to the model used by Leonardo da Vinci in three of his most famous paintings, and much, much more - this episode answers the very questions that you ask me about the g
Episode 326 - Borromini's Sant'Agnese in Agone (Piazza Navona)
In 1653, Borromini was asked by Pope Innocent X to take over the building of his family church of Sant'Agnese in Agone in Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy. The result was a revolutionary façade design that tragically was not realized according to Borromini's plans.
Episode 325 - Borromini's Church of Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza
Borromini began construction on another of his architectural masterpieces, the church of Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza in Rome, Italy, in 1642 for Pope Urban VIII. His curvilinear façade, bulging drum, and spiraling lantern are all eye-popping aspects of his design. But it is the extraordinary floor plan of the church which makes it unique – an equilateral triangle with semi-circular niches along its sid
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