The Italian Renaissance Podcast

I am joined by the Florence based artist and art historian Dr. Alan Pascuzzi for a thrilling interview about his career as an artist following the techniques of the Renaissance masters. We first discuss the process of becoming a sculptor and painter in the Renaissance techniques. He walks us through his technical process, looking closely at his recent allegorical bronze group for Florida State University in Florence. Our conversation drifts to the monumental Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini, where Alan talks us through the relationship between the casting process in the Renaissance and the modern age. We conclude our conversation around Alan's methodology in his book, "Becoming Michelangelo: Apprenticing to the Master and Discovering the Artist Through His Drawings," where he recounts the insight learned by copying 135 of Michelangelo's drawings from his early career, a unique blending of studio art and art historical scholarship. To purchase "Becoming Michelangelo:" https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Becoming-Michelangelo/Alan-Pascuzzi/9781950994373Follow us on Instagram for images: @italian_renaissance_podcastGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

Join me in conversation with Frank Nero, who takes us on a journey to a hidden gem in Florence, San Martino del Vescovo. This oratory serves as a fascinating case study of the intersections between Medici power and art patronage, as well as offering a glimpse into the everyday of Florentine life in the Quattrocento. The oratory frescoes depict scenes of the deeds of the buonuomini, painted by Domenico Ghirlandaio and his workshop. Nero gives us a detailed history of the foundation and function of the space, as well as a captivating explanation of the fresco cycle found within. Instagram: italian_renaissance_podcast Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Frank Nero to the podcast. Nero is an art historian, award-winning educator, and former director of Florida State University Florence. He specializes in on-site lectures, having taught and inspired thousands of students during his career, myself included. The first part of this interview departs from our typical mode of discussion, and looks at the living legacy of Renaissance art from the perspective of someone who teaches it outside of the classroom. Not only does Nero provide inside information on the structure of international education through the American university system, the good and the bad (also the ugly), but also tells hilarious stories and experiences that come with hauling students through crowded historical sites across Italy. ***Nero calls by my familiar name, Reed instead of Lawrence... or Reedy, because he's a funny guy. Instagram: italian_renaissance_podcast Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

Join me in the continuation of my conversation with ecocritical art historian and climate activist Esme Garlake. In the second part of our interview, we discuss the works of Raphael's pupil, Giovanni da Udine. Giovanni not only had an intense fascination with accurately depicting the natural world, which we discuss via his drawings, but had a substantial role in decorating Agostino Chigi's Villa Farnesina in Rome alongside Raphael and Giulio Romano.Beyond the Renaissance, Esme provides valuable perspective on climate activism in museum spaces, and the role of art in how we envision the sustainability of our planet. For more of Esme's work: Blog: https://medium.com/@esme.garlakeArticle: https://envhistnow.com/2023/05/04/towards-an-ecocritical-art-history/Research Profile: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/art-history/esme-garlake Linktree: https://linktr.ee/italian_renaissance_podcast     Podcast Instagram: @italian_renaissance_podcast Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

Join me in conversation in two parts with Esme Garlake, an ecocritical art historian and climate activist who centers her research on the interaction between the artist and the natural world. We are talking about two artists who were trained under Raphael, Giulio Romano and Giovanni da Udine.  How do animals manifest in their works, and what does it tell us about the social history of sixteenth century Italy? Part one focuses on establishing how an ecocritical approach is used to analyze Renaissance art via Raphael before turning to the Palazzo Te in Mantua, and Giulio Romano's Sala dei Cavalli and the Banquet of Cupid and Psyche. For more of Esme's work: Blog: https://medium.com/@esme.garlakeArticle: https://envhistnow.com/2023/05/04/towards-an-ecocritical-art-history/Research Profile: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/art-history/esme-garlake     Podcast Instagram: @italian_renaissance_podcast Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

Welcome to the Italian Renaissance Podcast Interview Series!Passionate translator Michael Curtotti joins us on the podcast to discuss the Renaissance novelliere Matteo Bandello and his Romeo and Juliet, which serves as the inspiration to the famous play by William Shakespeare. Curtotti has recently published a new translation of Bandello's novella, a must read for all lovers of Renaissance literature.  Purchase the book here:English only: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMPFGPCJ English-Italian Parallel Language Edition: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645844608For more information on Michael Curtotti: https://beyondforeignness.org Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

Season 2 Finale! For the conclusion of this treatment of Renaissance Venice, we discuss Paolo Veronese and his famous painting that enraged the Holy Inquisition: The Supper in the House of Levi. Indeed, upon completion of this painting, the forces of the Counter-Reformation descended upon Veronese, bringing him under interrogation to explain what they deemed to be inappropriate in his art. This discussion details the painting itself along with the trial that condemned it within the greater context of the Protestant Reformation, the Counter-Reformation, and the Roman Inquisition as it manifested in Venice. All social links: https://linktr.ee/italian_renaissance_podcast Support the show

Touted as the 'triumvirate' of sixteenth century Venice, Titian, Jacopo Sansovino, and Pietro Aretino were cultural megaliths that bolstered the ambitious city development plan under Doge Andrea Gritti. This episode explores the presence of both Aretino and Sansovino in Venice. Aretino was a famed writer, open homosexual, and merciless critic of the famed nobles of Italy. His court presence was one of high drama and unease, his pen a fearsome instrument of both mockery and flattery. Sansovino was a renowned architect, one who brings design ideals of the Roman Renaissance to the very heart of Venice. This discussion explores their joint presence as outsiders in the Venetian Lagoon who rise to prominence among the cultural elite. Linktree: https://linktr.ee/italian_renaissance_podcastGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

Gaspara Stampa is among the most important poets of the Renaissance. Living in Venice, she was a central figure in the music and literary scene thriving during the sixteenth century. Her Rime, published the year of her death, give us insight to the brilliant mind of an upper class socialite with a complicated love life, far flung from the rigid confines of what we might expect from a Renaissance woman in a male dominated world.Looking at her life and two sonnets, this discussion elaborates her role within the larger context of the Italian literary tradition, especially through Petrarch, and how these modes and tropes can be adapted and reworked through the culture of the Venetian Renaissance. Instagram/Facebook: italian_renaissance_podcastTiktok: @italianrenaissancepodEtsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

In 1494 upon the expulsion of the Medici from Florence, Michelangelo Buonarotti left his native city for the Republic of Venice. His stay there was brief and mostly undocumented. Yet, close comparison of source material and stylistic analysis reveals that perhaps Michelangelo was more influenced by his time in Venice than previously considered. The master all'antica marble sculptor Tullio Lombardo had likely completed his masterpiece Adam the year before Michelangelo's arrival. Was the divine Michelangelo inspired by a Venetian Renaissance master before creating his own large-scale Bacchus, a marble nude figure modelled on antiquity? In this episode, we unpack the layers of influence that appear to manifest in Michelangelo's work as a potential result of Venetian influence. Instagram/Facebook: italian_renaissance_podcast Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

With great pleasure, I welcome Gee Cooper back to the show to discuss the afterlife of Titian. Given his proliferation and international appeal, the works of Titian and his role as court painter had a ripple effect in courts throughout Europe. Among the most important figures is Charles I of England who looked to expand the Royal Collection after a visit to Spain where he saw Titian's poesie series and was permanently changed. The Titian List is the inventory of his works by Titian until his execution and the dispersal of his collection. Charles I wanted a Titian of his own. He employed Antony Van Dyck as his court painter, who would emulate Titian, reproduce his works, and adjust his own style to the preference of the King.  In this conversation, we cover essential aspects of the poesie series in Spain to understand the impact that it had on Charles I. We then look at two types of Imperial portraiture to determine the direct influence of Titian's work in the seventeenth-century, not merely as items in an inventory, but as a highly praised style that infiltrated courtly painting. Instagram: italian_renaissance_podcast Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShop Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

Known as the greatest master of the Venetian Renaissance, Titian's painting career spanned most of the sixteenth century. This episode aims to give an overview of his life and works, focusing on three paintings from three different genres: an altarpiece, a portrait, and a  mythological scene. Just as they represent different genres, the paintings discussed serve as timestamps in his career, marking his earliest masterpiece, the height of his career, and one of his last works. By doing this, Titian's variety of skill and talent is put on full display, sorting through the variances in his style, and how he positions himself as the forerunner of conventional change in European painting. Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopInstagram: italian_renaissance_podcastGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

The conquest of Constantinople placed the Ottoman Empire at the center of the Mediterranean world. Sultan Mehmed II thrived under the cultural pluralism of his new court, procuring artists from both sides of his world: Italy and Persia. However, the Italianization of the Ottoman Empire is locked within Mehmed's reign, as the greater Ottoman court did not share his appreciation for European art and design. Gentile Bellini arrived in Istanbul around 1479. This episode looks at his experience and works produced during his stay, elaborating them in relation to Mehmed II and his artistic taste. Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopInstagram/Facebook: italian_renaissance_podcastGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

I sat down with Julia Bender, a student and researcher of Islamic and medieval art, to discuss the relationship between the Venetian Republic and the Islamic powers that competed for mercantile control of the Mediterranean. Looking at the Mamluks and Ottomans, two major dynasties that coincide with the Renaissance period, we discuss what exchanges were being made, how Venice served as a transition point for Eastern goods into Europe, and the major influence of Islamic innovations in Venice. This episode also covers essential information about Aldus Manutius, his printing press, and the proliferation of printed goods as it relates to Venetian mercantilism. Further, we discuss the stylistic influences of Islamic lands on European art production, primarily through the oriental carpet trade. Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopInstagram: @italian_renaissance_podcastGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

In our third and final discussion on Giorgione, this episode covers his final work, the Sleeping Venus, which was finished by Titian upon his death. A close look at the history of this painting helps understand the development of Titian's style in light of Giorgione, which ultimately arrives at his most famous work, the Venus of Urbino. This conversation compares the two paintings, understanding Titian's masterpiece as a result of Giorgione's influence. Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopInstagram/Facebook: italian_renaissance_podcast Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

I sat down with Venetian Renaissance expert Monika Schmitter to discuss the enigmatic Tempest by Giorgione. Why is this image so difficult to define? What is the current state of scholarly interpretation of its form and function? This interview covers the complicated history of the painting, in part responding to Prof. Schmitter's recent publication on the work, available here: https://www.academia.edu/98650605/Describing_Giorgiones_Tempest_Iconography_Genre_Interpretation Prof. Schmitter is also the author of "The Art Collector in Early Modern Italy: Andrea Odoni and his Venetian Palace," available here: https://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/arts-theatre-culture/western-art/art-collector-early-modern-italy-andrea-odoni-and-his-venetian-palace?format=HB&isbn=9781108844086Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopInstagram/Facebook: italian_renaissance_podcastGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

This episode explores Giorgione -Giorgio da Castelfranco - a founding artist of the Venetian High Renaissance. Although he lived a short life, the impact of his art echoes throughout the history of Venetian art. With influences like Giovanni Bellini, Leonardo da Vinci and Francesco Petrarch, his pictorial style is elaborated into a poetic mode of painting. This discussion focuses on Giorgione in relation to major cultural shifts in Italy around the year 1500. Using his so-called Laura from 1506, Giorgione is elaborated as a poetic painter, decoding visual symbols and subverting iconographical norms. Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopInstagram: italian_renaissance_podcastGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

The Lombardo family workshop in Venice was the most prominent in the city for the development of Renaissance sculpture. This episode looks briefly at the history of the family before taking a more focused look at the works of Tullio Lombardo and how he revolutionized sculpture in Venice. What happens when classical revival combines with Netherlandish and Venetian design influence? Tullio worked with a large number of classical and contemporary influences resulting in a new sculptural genre. He additionally expanded the design vocabulary of the monumental tomb of the Venetian Doge's, particularly in that of Doge Andrea Vendramin. Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopInstagram: italian_renaissance_podcast Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

Venice is a unique blending of cultural influences that has a lasting impact on artistic development and style. This episode focuses on the the transition from Venetian Gothic palace architecture in Venice to Renaissance style. How do we talk about the unique architecture of Venice? What historical changes impacted the shift in style from Gothic to Renaissance? How did the Venetians respond to Florentine artists, and the hosting of the Medici?  Listen in to learn about the Doge's Palace and the subsequent architecture of Venetian nobility. Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopInstagram: @italian_renaissance_podcast Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show

Jacopo Bellini is one of the most influential figures in the  development of a Renaissance style in Venice. This discussion takes a close look at Jacopo as an innovator and teacher. What influences did he pass on to his sons Gentile and Giovanni, and where did they come from? This episode looks closely at Giovanni Bellini's Saint Giobbe Altarpiece, which serves as an example of Jacopo's lasting impact and the trajectory of future Venetian Renaissance Art. Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItalianRenShopInstagram: italian_renaissance_podcast Support the show! https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=4HTBBJSUX4BQN&no_recurring=0&currency_code=USD Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show