Leon Battista Alberti, one of the most multifaceted figures of the Italian Renaissance, was a pioneer of architecture, art and literature. Born in Genoa in 1404 and raised in a Florentine family, Alberti lived and worked in several Italian cities, including Rome, Florence, Rimini and Mantua. His career is an extraordinary example of a Renaissance man who, by applying himself to different disciplines, created works that defy time.
If you are wondering where the Riace Bronzes are, you are probably intrigued by the possibility of visiting these mysterious ancient figures. The Bronze Statues of Riace are two Greek bronze statues discovered in the sea near the coast of Riace Marina, Calabria, but are currently kept in a museum located elsewhere in the region, on the other side of the tip of the boot. These extraordinary works of ancient art attract visitors from all over the world because of their fascinating history and their incredible state of preservation.
La Città ideale di Urbino
A symbol of an idea of what a Renaissance city should be, the famous image of the ‘Ideal City’, painted by an unknown artist between 1480 and 1490, at the court of Federico da Montefeltro, is a work that boasts two alternative versions, painted by other unknown authors or perhaps by the author himself.
This work is a symbol of the ideal Renaissance city, contrasting with the chaotic city of the Middle Ages, which appears before our eyes, and in all its vitality, in the urban view frescoed by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena in 1337-1339.
In the heart of Verona, in the marvellous Pellegrini Chapel of the Church of St. Anastasia, there is a masterpiece that has spanned the centuries with its beauty and symbolic meaning: St. George and the Princess by Pisanello. Created between 1433 and 1438, this fresco is not only an extraordinary work of art, but also a valuable historical and cultural document.
Inspired by Jacopo da Varazze’s ‘Golden Legend’, Pisanello tells us, through meticulous detail and unparalleled technical skill, the story of the brave St. George and his clash with the dragon to save the princess. But what lies behind this epic narrative?
What political and symbolic messages did the artist want to convey? In this post, I take you on a discovery of Pisanello’s fresco, analysing the details and discovering the deeper meaning of this extraordinary work.
San Giorgio e il drago Paolo Uccello a Londra
In the early Renaissance, Paolo Uccello created one of the most enigmatic and fascinating works of art in the history of art: ‘Saint George and the Dragon’. This masterpiece, created in two versions, is not only the representation of a legendary clash, but a symbolic journey into the conflict between Christianity and paganism, between peace and war, between the visible world and the hidden world of alchemical symbols and occult philosophy.
Immersed in a dreamlike and mysterious atmosphere, the details of the painting reveal a profound and complex narrative, full of meanings and questions. In this post, I take you on a journey to discover the secrets behind Paolo Uccello’s brushstrokes, in a work that continues to enchant and provoke reflection.
