Rivalries can be contentious and destructive, but they can also help fuel great works of art. Renaissance masters were in constant competition to prove who was the best artist of their time, and sometimes the consequences were tragic. Patrons were in large measure responsible for setting up artists against each other to force them to outdo their rivals and thereby to surpass themselves while making steady progress with the commissions at hand.
The fierce competition between artistic titans of the 16th century, Michelangelo and Raphael, was legendary—as well as those between Caravaggio and Annibale Carracci and Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini. All contributed to the extraordinary transformation of Rome in the 17th century. Each pair had very different and almost irreconcilable personalities that in many cases were in direct contrast. The unmistakable hallmarks of these great artists who challenged each other’s genius are still visible in the buildings, paintings and sculpture of Rome.
Join Renaissance art historian Elaine Ruffolo from her home in Tuscany to understand how competition helped fuel the artistic scene in Rome.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit*
Additional Art-full Friday Programs
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*Enrolled participants in the World Art History Certificate Program receive 1/2 elective credit. Not yet enrolled? Learn about the program, its benefits, and how to register here.
