Early and High Renaissance in Florence
(3 days Tue-Thu / 9 hours)
The Renaissance in Florence is one of the most intriguing cultural manifestations in Western History, in which religion, philosophy, economy, humanism and politics played an important part in the development of painting, sculpting and architecture. This course offers an introduction to the changes and progressions in art in this period. Key artists, such as Filippo Brunelleschi, Masaccio, Donatello and Sandro Botticelli, will be discussed. Next to that, attention will be paid to art patrons, like Cosimo and Lorenzo De’ Medici, and the artists’ daily life in this magnificent era.

Late Renaissance and Mannerism in Florence
(3 days Tue-Thu / 9 hours)
This is a course about the period of time in which the most important aim of Renaissance artists is achieved: to imitate nature as flawless as possible. Masterworks by Michelangelo, Raphael and Da Vinci are part of the program, but also highly talented later artists like Andrea del Sarto, Pontormo and Benvenuto Cellini will be discussed. Not all of them thought it was necessary to copy nature; some other interesting tendencies were developed in the first half of the sixteenth century.

Medici Villas and Gardens
(1 weekend / 12 hours)
In the 15th century, a revival of ancient Roman villa culture took place in Tuscany. Renaissance country estates started to cover the campagna, to escape from the hectic city life, to unwind, to go hunting, to organize social events or even to discuss philosophy, art and science. This course is concentrated on the intriguing villa life of the Medici family. Their villas were not only a statement of wealth and power. With the help of paintings, sculptures and complex garden architecture, they were also used to convey specific messages to their guests.