The California & Northwest Chapters of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, in partnership with the Friends of the Uffizi Gallery, presents an exclusive four-part Lecture Series beginning June 5, 2021.

• June 05, 2021, at 10 AM PDT / 1 PM EDT - LECTURE 1: "Piero della Francesca's Flagellation, the Duke of Urbino, and the Fall of Constantinople". Kenneth Clark described Della Francesca’s painting as “the greatest small written about the enigmatic meaning of this work: was it a metaphor for the fall of Constantinople, or an allegory of the assassination of the Oddantonio da Montefeltro, half-brother of the more celebrated Federico da Montefeltro? We'll explore the mysteries that swirl around this famous work.
• June 12, 2021, at 10 AM PDT / 1 PM EDT - LECTURE 2: "The Plot That Could Have Changed the World: Lorenzo de Medici, Pope Sixtus IV, and the Pazzi Conspiracy". On April 26, 1478, Giuliano de Medici lay dead on the pavement of Florence cathedral: 19 stab wounds testified to a vicious attack. Victim of a plot backed by Pope Sixtus IV Della Rovere, Giuliano was the younger brother of Lorenzo the Magnificent, and their fates were tied to that of all Europe. This lecture will examine the heroes, the villains, and the motivations behind one of history's greatest conspiracies.
• June 19, 2021, at 10 AM PDT / 1 PM EDT - LECTURE 3: "Artistic Ambassadors: The Sistine Chapel Before Michelangelo". Decades before Michelangelo climbed up 70ft. of scaffolding to adorn the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, a veritable “All-Star Team” of late 15th- century artists had already been there. Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Perugino, and Signorelli were sent to Rome by Lorenzo “il Magnifico” de Medici to pay homage to the original patron and the namesake of the chapel – Pope Sixtus IV – as a means of making amends after the failed Pazzi Conspiracy. Diplomacy by brushstroke was the language of power in Renaissance Italy.
• June 19, 2021, at 10 AM PDT / 1 PM EDT - LECTURE 4: "Shared Genius: Artists in the Uffizi Galleries and the Vatican Museums". The patronage of the Medici and Della Rovere family produced some of the world’s greatest art. Michelangelo and Raphael are only two of the luminaries who enjoyed the largesse of these extraordinary families. Much of the art produced for or collected by the families is still contained within two of the world’s most important museums – the Uffizi Galleries and the Vatican Museums. This lecture will survey some of those extraordinary artists whose genius is on display in both of the collections.

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Dr. Rocky Ruggiero
A professor of art and architectural history since 1999, he holds a BA (College of the Holy Cross) and an MA (Syracuse University), and has been the recipient of the prestigious Florence Fellowship; his Ph.D. in Art History and Visual Culture was completed at the University of Exeter, UK. In addition to lecturing for various American universities in Florence, Italy, Dr. Ruggiero also appears regularly on television and in media as an expert on the Italian Renaissance. He now divides his time between the US and Italy, offering specialized lectures, educational webinars, and cultural events, as well as private excursions and week-long travel programs throughout the country. For his online courses, video lectures, documentaries, blogs, and podcasts, visit rockyruggiero.com.