Italian Renaissance: Humanism, luxury and power in art  

Italian painting of the 15^th and 16^th centuries developed within a context of political fragmentation and marked cultural dynamism, in which cities became artistic centres with their own distinct languages. Humanism located the human being at the centre of the image and redefined the relationship with classical antiquity, fostering new forms of representation. Through the works in the collection, the evolution from the balance and clarity of the Florentine Quattrocento to the primacy of colour and sensory experience of the Venetian Cinquecento will become evident, with painting interpreted as a reflection of the social, political and cultural tensions of Renaissance Italy.

Course leader: Teresa de la Vega.