Workshop practices and art materials are often a neglected aspect of Renaissance studies. Yet the businesses run by painters operated within and contributed to the economic life that characterized the period in Italy. Prior to it, artists were craftsmen valued for skill, not creativity or intellect. But with the rediscovery of classical art and new techniques such as the use of oil paint and perspective, increasing value was placed on artistic innovation and creativity. 

Artists in the Renaissance had to know mathematics and geometry and studied anatomy, classical culture, theology, and philosophy. All these disciplines contributed to the idea that painting, sculpture, and architecture should be considered as part of the liberal arts rather than menial trades.

From her home in Florence, Renaissance art historian Elaine Ruffolo examines how painters learned their craft and the organization of their workshops and their guilds, how customers and patrons treated them, and where and how their work was displayed.

Additional Art-full Friday Programs

• January 16: Palladio: Architect of the Western World
• February 27: Sicily: Art at the Crossroads of Civilizations

General Information

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