Rebuilding The Renaissance
279 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★★ - 202 ratingsThis podcast will explore the development of the art, architecture, culture and history in Italy, from ancient Roman times through the Renaissance. Listeners will develop an understanding of Italy’s role in the development of Western civilization and an ability to appreciate and understand works of art in their historical context.
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Episodes
Episode 225 - Titian’s “Poesie” Paintings
May 10, 2023 10:30 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MBTitian’s six “poesie” – or “painted poems” – depict subjects from classical mythology and were painted for King Philip II of Spain. The paintings represent a landmark in the history of western art and exemplify the Venetian master’s late style that was characterized by dramatic subjects, sensual forms, and loose, almost “impressionistic” brushwork.
Episode 224 - Tintoretto’s “Finding of the Body of St. Mark” (Brera Gallery, Milan)
May 03, 2023 10:30 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBAnother of the great canvases for the Scuola Grande of San Marco dramatically depicts the episode where the body of the evangelist was discovered. The dark painting is dominated by theatrical chiaroscuro and showcases unconventional characters and gestures.
Episode 223 - Tintoretto’s “Stealing of the Body of St. Mark” (Accademia Gallery, Venice)
April 26, 2023 10:30 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBFourteen years after exploding onto the art scene in Venice, Tintoretto produced another dramatic work for the Scuola Grande of San Marco. The intense painting depicts the legendary story of two Venetian merchants stealing the body of St. Mark away from Alexandria in the 9th century.
Episode 222 - Tintoretto’s “Miracle of the Slave” (Accademia Gallery, Venice)
April 19, 2023 10:30 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBThe Venetian painter Tintoretto exploded onto the art scene in his native city with this large canvas depicting St. Mark rescuing one of his devotees from a horrific death. With its dramatic proscenium characterized by strong foreshortening and dramatic spotlighting, as well as a surprising and daring representation of St. Mark, Tintoretto introduced a style of painting that Venice – or the world – had never seen.
Episode 221 - Michelangelo’s Tomb (Santa Croce, Florence)
April 12, 2023 10:30 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MBAlthough he died in Rome, the nearly-89-year-old Michelangelo was buried in a tomb in the great Franciscan Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, Italy. Discover the tomb monument that celebrates the genius of the divine artist in this episode.
Episode 220 - Michelangelo’s “Rondanini Pietà” (Sforza Castle Museum, Milan)
April 05, 2023 10:30 - 18 minutes - 17.4 MBMichelangelo worked on the unfinished “Rondanini Pietà” (1552-1564) until the last days of his life. Tragic and frail in appearance, the sculpture is often interpreted as reflecting the fragile state of mind of an extraordinary artist in the twilight of his life. The “Rondanini Pietà” is on display at Sforza Castle in Milan, Italy.
Episode 219 - Michelangelo’s “Bandini/Florence Pietà” (Museo dell’Opera, Florence)
March 29, 2023 10:30 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBAt about 75 years of age, Michelangelo began carving his second “Pietà” statue. Michelangelo was clearly trying to up his game by carving a group of four figures from a single block of marble. But the most intriguing aspect of this statue is that the extensive visible damage was inflicted by Michelangelo himself, allegedly for his dissatisfaction with the work. This episode unpacks the complex personal history behind this wounded sculpture.
Episode 218 - Michelangelo – God’s Architect (The Building of St. Peter’s)
March 22, 2023 13:41 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBAt the ripe old age of 71, Michelangelo took over the direction of the most important building project in Europe – the Fabbrica of St. Peter’s Basilica. Michelangelo redesigned the great building and saw construction through to the base of the cupola. This project would occupy the last 17 years of his life and consume nearly all his creative energies. This episode examines Michelangelo’s role in the realization of the great basilica, as well as analyzing his revolutionary architectural styl...
Episode 217 - Michelangelo’s “Crucifixion of St. Peter” (Pauline Chapel)
March 15, 2023 11:30 - 21 minutes - 20 MBShortly after completing the “Conversion of St. Paul” fresco in the Pauline Chapel in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, the 70-year-old Michelangelo began his complimentary “Crucifixion of St. Peter.” While the image of St. Peter crucified in an upside-down position was quite common in Rome, it was unusual to see him in process of being hoisted upwards as Michelangelo depicted. This episode analyzes this late painting of Michelangelo and the various interpretations associated with it.
Episode 216 - Michelangelo’s “Conversion of St. Paul” (Pauline Chapel)
March 08, 2023 11:30 - 19 minutes - 18 MBEven before completing “The Last Judgment” in the Sistine Chapel, Pope Paul III had chosen Michelangelo to decorate the walls of his new namesake chapel – the Pauline Chapel. Used as an antechamber to the Sistine Chapel, the Pauline Chapel contains Michelangelo’s last two paintings. This episode discusses the history and function of the chapel, as well as the first of the two frescoes executed by a 67-year-old Michelangelo.
Episode 215 - Cellini’s “Perseus with the Head of Medusa” (Florence)
March 01, 2023 11:30 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MBIn 1545, the goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini was commissioned by Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici to create a large bronze statue of the Greek hero Perseus and Medusa. The resulting work was one of the most beautiful and famous of the Renaissance. This episode examines the history, style, and importance of Cellini’s bronze masterpiece.
Episode 214 - Answers to Open Questions Part XVI
February 22, 2023 11:30 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBFrom the type of snake that appears in Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment,” to the suspected poisoning of Pico dell Mirandola and Angelo Poliziano, to Lorenzo Lotto’s unorthodox “Annunciation,” to Brunelleschi’s role in the development of linear perspective, and much, much more - this episode answers the very questions that you ask me about the great art, artists and history of the Italian Renaissance.
Episode 213 - Michelangelo’s Laurentian Library in Florence Part III
February 15, 2023 11:30 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MBThis episode analyzes the extraordinary reading room of Michelangelo’s Laurentian Library in Florence, Italy. Faced with having to reduce the weight of the building, Michelangelo designed a type of structural cage into which he inserted layered walls, elegant architectural elements, and handsome furniture. His creative wood ceiling and terracotta floor designs also are part of the overall decorative scheme of this beautiful building.
Episode 212 - Michelangelo’s Laurentian Library in Florence Part II
February 08, 2023 11:30 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBThis episode analyzes Michelangelo’s visionary architectural design for the vestibule - better known as the “Ricetto” – of the Laurentian Library. Dominated by the famous staircase which Michelangelo claimed appeared to him in a dream, the space perfectly expresses Michelangelo’s radical new vision for Renaissance architecture.
Episode 211 - Michelangelo’s Laurentian Library in Florence Part I
February 01, 2023 11:30 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBIn 1524, the Medici Pope Clement VII asked Michelangelo to design and build a new library to house the extraordinary collection of manuscripts and books owned by the family. The logical location was the Medici-sponsored complex of San Lorenzo. This episode analyzes the construction history of the library and how Michelangelo once again applied his innovative ideas to architecture.
Episode 210 - Baccio Bandinelli’s “Hercules and Cacus” (Florence)
January 25, 2023 11:30 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBAlthough the commission was originally given to Michelangelo in 1508, the eventual carving of the sculpture fell into the lesser hands of Baccio Bandinelli. Symbolic of the new authoritative Medici regime and rule over the city, the sculpture was a strong man image intended to warn Florentines of the consequences of revolt. It is also a prime example of the new Mannerist style which dominated Florentine art in the 16th century.
Episode 209 - Michelangelo’s Last Judgment Part IV
January 18, 2023 11:30 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBThis final episode dedicated to Michelangelo’s great fresco on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel addresses the controversy surrounding the explicit nudity in the painting. When formal protests by high-ranking figures in the papal court were made, Michelangelo responded by including one of their portraits in hell. We also discuss the eventual alterations made to the painting after Michelangelo’s death.
Episode 208 - Michelangelo’s Last Judgment Part III
January 11, 2023 11:30 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBThis episode analyzes the majestic composition and singular iconography of Michelangelo’s fresco on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. From the lack of any architectural elements to the use of ambiguous saint imagery, Michelangelo introduced a revolutionary and surprisingly modern way to represent a popular biblical subject.
Episode 207 - Michelangelo’s Last Judgment Part II
January 04, 2023 11:30 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBTo create a suitable surface for Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment,” major alterations were made to the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. This episode examines those physical preparations, as well as the art that was lost in order to make way for Michelangelo’s great fresco. It also surveys earlier versions of the subject by artists such as Giotto and Pisano.
Episode 206 - Michelangelo's Last Judgment Part I
December 28, 2022 11:30 - 21 minutes - 20.1 MBTwenty-four years after completing its ceiling, Michelangelo returned to the Sistine Chapel to paint its altar wall. His gigantic “Last Judgment” took five years to complete and scandalized Rome as many of its holy characters were depicted in the nude. This podcast examines the history of the commission of Michelangelo’s great fresco.
Episode 205 - Titian’s “Penitent Magdalene” (Pitti Palace)
December 21, 2022 11:30 - 17 minutes - 15.7 MBIn 1531, Titian painted the incredibly sensuous image of Mary Magdalene for Duke Federico II of Mantua who, in turn, gifted it to the celebrated poetess Vittoria Colonna. By combining the two best-known versions of Mary Magdalene – prostitute and penitent – Titian produced a profound image of spiritual sublimation of the physical.
Episode 204 - Titian’s “Venus of Urbino” (Uffizi Galleries)
December 14, 2022 11:30 - 20 minutes - 19 MBTitian was the greatest Venetian painter of his age. His reputation and achievements in 16th-century Europe were rivaled only by Michelangelo. Venetian artists introduced their own particular style and vision into Renaissance art, as seen in the Venus of Urbino. Suddenly, female nudity and eroticism exploded onto the scene in a type of soft-core Renaissance pornography. This episode explores the unusual erotic iconography of the Venus of Urbino, and how it depicts a rather straight-forward v...
Episode 203 - Answers To Open Questions Part 15
December 07, 2022 11:30 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBFrom the accuracy of Vasari's "Lives," the dark skin tones of medieval paintings, why Last Suppers appear where they do, whether Caravaggio can be considered a Renaissance artist, and much, much more - this episode answers the very questions that you ask me about the great art, artists and history of the Italian Renaissance.
Episode 202 - Palazzo Te in Mantua - Part IV (The Room of the Giants)
November 30, 2022 11:30 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBGiulio Romano's "Room of the Giants" in the Palazzo Te is one of the most dramatic and unique pictorial cycles in history. Depicting the fall of the Titans to the Olympian gods, the colossal-scale figures, rounded corners, and illusionistic architecture create a veritable sense of virtual reality. It is a painting cycle with no beginning or end, where the spectator becomes part of the action, and the traditional subject-object relationship is destroyed.
Episode 201 - Palazzo Te in Mantua - Part III (The Room of Psyche)
November 23, 2022 11:30 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBThe Room of Psyche in the Palazzo Te in Mantua, Italy, is one of the most erotic pictorial cycles of the Renaissance. From the 9 ceiling paintings that depict the story of Cupid and Psyche, to the lunettes depicting the labors of Psyche, to the wall paintings depicting examples of divine and bestial love, as well as earthly and divine banquets celebrating the redemption of Psyche, the room is a veritable explosion of sensual and erotic imagery.
Episode 200 - 200th Episode Celebration!
November 16, 2022 11:30 - 22 minutes - 21.4 MBThis milestone celebrates the production of the 200th episode of the Rebuilding the Renaissance podcast. Looking back at the approximately two millennia that we have covered thus far, the various special guests who have appeared in the series, and the particularly important specific episodes, this episode not only retraces our steps, but also maps out the future of the podcast series.
Episode 199 - The Palazzo Te in Mantua Part II
November 09, 2022 11:30 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBThe pictorial decoration inside of the Palazzo Te in Mantua, Italy, is some of the most inventive and delightful imagery of the Italian Renaissance. From the Room of Ovid, with representations of episodes from the "Metamorphoses," to the Room of the Imprese, with its many coat of arms and playful supporting putti, to the Room of the Sun and Moon Chariots, with its exceptional "di sotto in sù" perspective, to the Hall of the Horses with its many equestrian portraits of Gonzaga prize-winning ...
Episode 198 - The Palazzo Te in Mantua
November 02, 2022 10:30 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBThe Palazzo Te (1526-1535) was both designed and decorated by the great Mannerist artist and pupil of Raphael, Giulio Romano. Built for the Marquis-turned-Duke of Mantua, Federico II Gonzaga, every detail of the building was intended to delight the visitor. This episode explores the history and architecture of this extraordinary pleasure palace.
Episode 197 - Correggio's "Danaë"
October 26, 2022 10:30 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBLocated in the Borghese Gallery in Rome, Correggio's sensual painting of the amorous relationship between Jupiter and the daughter of the King of Argos is sublime. Based on the account in Ovid's "Metamorphoses,'' Correggio is able to transform a literary metaphor into an equally powerful and erotic visual metaphor. In 1827, the painting was acquired by Cammillo IV Borghese, husband of Paulina Bonaparte, during one of his many trips to Paris, and installed into the family's extraordinary art ...
Episode 196 - Correggio's Dome Frescoes in Parma Cathedral
October 19, 2022 10:30 - 18 minutes - 16.9 MBCorreggio’s breath-taking dome fresco in the dome of Parma cathedral depicts the Assumption of the Virgin (1526). Gigantic painted figures of the apostles stand below an explosion of heavenly clouds and hundreds of angels that create a celestial architecture upon which the Virgin Mary is assumed into heaven. The dramatic energy of the painting is a clear harbinger of the great Baroque paintings of the following century.
Episode 195 - Correggio's Paintings in the National Gallery of Parma
October 12, 2022 10:30 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBParma's National Gallery of Painting houses one of Italy's most important collections of medieval and Renaissance paintings. Amongst its treasures are several altarpieces by the great Correggio. This episode examines these extraordinary paintings and their expressive emotional power, which has inspired some to describe Correggio's work as "proto-Baroque."
Episode 194 - Correggio's Dome Fresco in San Giovanni Evangelista in Parma
October 05, 2022 10:30 - 22 minutes - 20.2 MBAfter decorating the apartment of a Benedictine abbess, Correggio was called by the nearby Benedictine monks of Parma to decorate their church of San Giovanni Evangelista. The most spectacular of the paintings is the illusionist dome fresco depicting Jesus and the Apostles in dramatic di sotto in sù perspective.
Episode 193 - Correggio's "Camera di San Paolo" in Parma
September 28, 2022 10:30 - 20 minutes - 20.3 MBThe Camera di San Paolo (1519) was Correggio’s first major commission in Parma. In the private quarters of a Benedictine abbess named Giovanna Piacenza, he executed a decorative fresco program filled with mythological and festive motifs. The particularly beautiful illusionistic ceiling decoration was a sort of a warm-up for the stunning domes he would paint in the following years.
Episode 192 - Answers to Open Questions XIII
September 21, 2022 10:30 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBFrom medieval graffiti, Raphael suffering medical malpractice, Siena's many contrade, the damaged part of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the four biblical rivers as symbols of the Evangelists, anatomical dissection in the ancient world - and much, much more - this episode answers the very questions that you asked me about the great art, artists and history of the Italian Renaissance.
Episode 191 - The Capponi Altarpiece Part II
September 14, 2022 10:30 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBJacopo Pontormo's altarpiece for the Capponi Chapel in the church of Santa Felicità in Florence, Italy, is one of the most beautiful paintings of the Italian Renaissance. Yet, the subject matter of painting still confuses art historians as it does not fit in any traditional iconographic parameters. This episode unpacks Pontormo's great painting and the various theories that surround it.
Episode 190 - Pontormo's "Capponi Altarpiece" - Part I
September 07, 2022 10:30 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBIn 1525, Jacopo Pontormo, one of the greatest Mannerist painters of Florence, was commissioned to decorate the family chapel of Ludovico Capponi in the church of Santa Felicità. While the altarpiece is the chapel's most celebrated work, Pontormo also decorated its dome, pendentives and window wall with beautiful paintings. This episode examines the history of the chapel and reconstructs its original decorative scheme.
Episode 189 - Theory - What Is Mannerism?
August 31, 2022 10:30 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBThe art produced in Italy in the first half of the 16th century seemed to intentionally reject the principles of Renaissance art. Artists such as Pontormo, Rosso Fiorentino, Giulio Romano, Parmigianino, and Bronzino introduced their own particular styles to their works, creating what later art historians would term "Mannerism." This episode will unpack this controversial and often confusing movement, and explore its various expressions.
Episode 188 - Michelangelo's Unfinished "Slaves" (Accademia Gallery, Florence)
August 24, 2022 10:30 - 24 minutes - 22.6 MBWith the death of Pope Leo X in 1521, Michelangelo was forced to abandon his work on the New Sacristy and to return to the unfinished tomb of Pope Julius II. It was, in fact, for the tomb that Michelangelo began work on the so-called "Slaves" today in the Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy. Often incorrectly described as being intentionally unfinished, the sculptures reveal the artist's unique vision of the human form as well as his absolute mastery of the art of carving marble.
Episode 187 - Michelangelo's New Sacristy in Florence Part III
August 17, 2022 10:30 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MBThis episode examines the extraordinary tomb of Lorenzo de' Medici in the New Sacristy. The allegorical figures of "Dawn" and "Dusk" are two of Michelangelo's most elegant statues, while the "Effigy of Lorenzo de' Medici" is a clear allusion to the Classical "thinker" pose. We also analyze how the sculptural groups interact with the general architectural program of the room.
Episode 186 - Michelangelo's New Sacristy in Florence Part II
August 10, 2022 10:30 - 22 minutes - 20.2 MBThis episode examines the extraordinary tomb of Giuliano de' Medici in the New Sacristy. The allegorical figures of "Day" and "Night" are two of Michelangelo's most beautiful statues, while the "Effigy of Giuliano de' Medici" is a revolution in funerary statuary.
Episode 185 - Michelangelo's New Sacristy in Florence Part I
August 03, 2022 10:30 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MBWhile working on the facade project of San Lorenzo, Michelangelo undertook another architectural project for Medici Pope Leo X. Known as the New Sacristy, and located in the Medici Chapels in Florence, Italy, the space was intended to serve as a royal funerary space for the Pope's brother and nephew. This episode addresses the history of the space as well as the visionary architectural design conceived by Michelangelo as a type of stage for his extraordinary sculptures.
Episode 184 - Michelangelo's Facade Model for San Lorenzo (Casa Buonarroti Museum)
July 27, 2022 10:30 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBIn 1515, Michelangelo undertook his first architectural commission for the facade of the Medici church of San Lorenzo in Florence. For the project, he produced a large wooden model of the facade, today located in the Casa Buonarroti Museum in Florence, Italy. This episode examines the history around the commission as well as Michelangelo's extraordinary model and architectural vision.
Episode 183 - Leonardo da Vinci's Late and Controversial Works
July 20, 2022 10:30 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBAlthough Leonardo’s Virgin, Child and St. Anne may have been commissioned as early as 1503, it was still in the artist’s studio in 1517 - two years before the artist died. The painting of St. John the Baptist is instead considered the master’s last known painting. This episode not only examines Leonardo’s final years and those few works that were produced during this period, but also the best-known controversial works attributed to him. There are, in fact, almost as many contested paintings ...
Episode 182 - Answers to Open Questions XIII
July 13, 2022 10:30 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBFrom the evolution of Romanesque to Renaissance architecture, to urban tabernacles in Florence, to the identity of the apostles in Leonardo's "Last Supper," to Michelangelo's boxer nose, to Lorenzo Ghiberti potentially being insane - and much, much more - this episode answers the very questions that you ask me about the great art, artists and history of the Italian Renaissance.
Episode 181 - Raphael's "Transfiguration" (Vatican Museums)
July 06, 2022 10:30 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBCommissioned in 1516, four years before Raphael's premature death at the age of 37, by Cardinal Giulio de' Medici, the "Transfiguration" was Raphael's last great altarpiece. The painting is a sort of summation of Raphael's artistic evolution, and not only synthesizes the artistic styles of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, but is also a harbinger of the Tenebrist style of Caravaggio nearly a century later.
Episode 180 - Rome: The Villa Farnesina - Renaissance Pleasure Palace Part II
June 29, 2022 10:30 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBThis episode continues to explore the extraordinary painting decorations of Rome's seminal Renaissance suburban villa. From the zodiacal images that represent the patron's horoscope, to Sebastiano del Piombo's "Polyphemus," to one of Raphael's most beautiful paintings known as "The Galatea', and, finally, to the virtual-reality-like Hall of Perspectives, the extensive fresco decoration of the villa makes it one of the most impressive decorative complexes in the world.
Episode 179 - Rome: The Villa Farnesina - Renaissance Pleasure Palace Part I
June 22, 2022 10:30 - 29 minutes - 26.7 MBThe Villa Farnesina was the first Renaissance pleasure palace and belonged to the fabulously wealthy banker Agostino Chigi. The decorations of the palace delighted many a pope and international ruler. On one occasion, dinner was served on golden tableware that guests were invited to throw into the Tiber upon completing their meal. This episode explores the history and architecture of this extraordinary decorative complex; and how the erotic nature of the art clearly reflected the type of act...
Episode 178 - Rome - Raphael's Room of the Fire in the Borgo
June 15, 2022 10:30 - 23 minutes - 22.6 MBThe last of the apartments decorated by Raphael for Popes Julius II and Leo X was the Room of the Fire in the Borgo, painted between 1514-1517. Although largely executed by Raphael's student and friend Giulio Romano, the frescoes represent Raphael's mature period and were completed only 3 years before the artist's premature death in 1520. This episode will examine the style, iconography and history of the paintings in this extraordinary room with particular emphasis given to the homonymous f...
Episode 177 - Rome - Raphael's Room of Heliodorus
June 08, 2022 10:30 - 23 minutes - 23 MBIn 1511, after completing the decoration of the Stanza della Segnatura, Raphael began painting the walls of Pope Julius' private audience room. Named after its principal scene - The Expulsion of Heliodorus - the room contains four of Raphael's most beautiful paintings. This episode will explore the style, iconography and meaning of Raphael's paintings in the Room of Heliodorus.
Episode 176 - Rome - Raphael's School of Athens Part III
June 01, 2022 10:30 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBThis is the final episode of a three-part series dedicated to Raphael's great fresco in the Vatican Museums. It addresses the extraordinary Classically-inspired architectural setting of the painting, as well as identifying the celebrated philosophical and scientific personages depicted. Lastly, this episode dismisses the conspiracy theory that the fresco is reflective of a failed plot on the part of Bramante and Raphael to humiliate Michelangelo.