"The Crucifixion of Christ", ca. 1306, by Giotto di Bondone
Giotto’s paintings in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, works by Masolino and Masaccio in Florence’s Brancacci Chapel, and Michelangelo’s ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome represent three extraordinary milestones in the history of painting. Rocky Ruggiero, a specialist in the Early Renaissance, examines how the artists behind each of these decorative complexes presented a revolutionary visual interpretation of Christian iconography.
10–10:45 a.m. The Scrovegni Chapel
Giotto’s 14th-century fresco cycle is perhaps the seminal motion picture in Western art. The artist transformed the iconic sacred subjects of his contemporary painting world into a very human story that reflects a surprisingly modern, cinematic quality. Giotto’s work is full of expressive character types, landscapes, color, and visual arrangements, producing a narrative capable of evoking sounds and smells, emotions and expectations, humor and terror.
11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. The Brancacci Chapel
No decorative space defines the transition between the late Gothic to Renaissance style in painting better than the Brancacci chapel. Between 1423 and 1426, Masolino and Masaccio simultaneously executed frescoes depicting scenes from the life of St. Peter. Although Masolino’s paintings are notable, it was the 22-year-old Masaccio who stole the show. Celebrated as the first true Renaissance painter, Masaccio’s voluminous forms, sculptural drapery, and expressivity became the foundation for future generations of artists, including Michelangelo.
12:15–1:15 p.m. Lunch (participants provide their own)
1:15–4 p.m. The Sistine Chapel
When Michelangelo agreed to paint the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling for Pope Julius II in 1508, little did he know the turmoil that awaited. Never before had such a large-scale work been attempted on a ceiling—and by a sculptor no less. After 4 ½ years of physical strain, conflict with the pope, and an endless demand for inspiration, he covered nearly 10,000-square-foot ceiling with some of the most beautiful and sublime figures in history. Ruggiero examines the epic vision of the Old Testament as expressed through Michelangelo’s radical vision of traditional subject matter and his celebration of the nude male form. (The session includes a 15-minute break beginning at 2:30 p.m.)
Ruggiero has lectured on Italian art and architecture for American university programs in Florence for the past 20 years, including those of Syracuse, Kent State, Vanderbilt, and Boston College. He has also been featured in documentaries on the Italian Renaissance produced by the History Channel and PBS.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit
