The Sforza Altarpiece (Pala Sforzesca) is among the single most important works of art commissioned by Ludovico il Moro. Through this painting, we can trace both the heavy religious history of Milan and the dynastic ambitions of the Sforza court. By investigating this painting, we can further understand the atmosphere leading to the decline of Sforza power. Additionally, this painting shows the dramatic influence of the convergence of styles in Milan, from Leonardo da Vinci to the Flemi...

There is no better way to explore the art and politics of the Sforza court in Milan than through the eyes of Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo spent most of his early career employed by Ludovico il Moro, the regent and eventual Duke of Milan. This episode ties together the drama and intrigue of Sforza court politics with the work Leonardo did during his First Milanese Period (1482-1499). Some of Leonardo's most innovative painting arrived in this period. Beyond his Last Supper, the ...

Art Historian Eleanor Walker joins us this episode to discuss the life and patronage of Isabella d'Este, Marchioness of Mantua. Isabella perfectly bridges the northern courts of Este Ferrara and Gonzaga Mantua, serving as the pivotal figure who united the two courts. Eleanor Walker introduces us to the life and vibrant personality of this Renaissance giant, looking at the scope and limitations of women in power in the northern courts. Then we turn to her patronage, diving deep into her portra...

Send us a text This episode looks at how the Gonzaga family of Mantua shaped their political image through art patronage. Ludovico Gonzaga, eager to raise his court’s prestige, brought the painter Andrea Mantegna to Mantua in 1460. Under Gonzaga patronage, Mantegna transformed court painting with his mastery of perspective and classical form. Their collaboration produced the fresco cycle in the Camera degli Sposi, a landmark of Renaissance art that blended dynastic portraiture with political ...

Send us a text Join me and writer/translator Michael Curtotti on a discussion about the literary patronage of the Este court. Centered around Micheal's new translation of the playwright and novella author Cinzio, our discuss dives deep into the cultural moment of Duke Ercole d’Este’s Ferrara. Michael walks us through the history of Cinzio and his work, both in theater and prose. Further, Michael leads us through his translation of the short story that would eventually influence Shakespe...

Send us a text We continue our journey through the Este court of Ferrara, moving from Borso’s decoration of the Palazzo Schifanoia to the ambitious reign of Ercole I. We explore his transformation of Ferrara with the Addizione Erculea and the dazzling Palazzo dei Diamanti, before turning to his son Alfonso and the overlooked brilliance of court painter Dosso Dossi. Finally, we trace how Este patronage shaped Renaissance literature through Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, a chivalric epic t...

Send us a text In this episode, we explore the rise of the Este family and the transformation of Ferrara into a vibrant Renaissance court. From Niccolò III’s political maneuvering to Leonello’s humanist vision and groundbreaking artistic patronage, we trace how the Este shaped culture and power in northern Italy. We then turn to Borso d’Este’s reign, examining his use of art and spectacle to project authority, including his enthroned bronze statue. Along the way, we uncover surprising details...

Send us a text The Court of Lorenzo the Magnificent Part 6 of 6: Architecture This episode looks at the most significant works of Lorenzo's court architect and dear friend, Giuliano da Sangallo. Among his most important designs, Sangallo was the chief architect and designer behind the Medici Villa at Poggio a Caiano, a countryside escape for Lorenzo that would serve as a prototype for Renaissance villas that came after. Additionally, Lorenzo and Sangallo were involved in the design and ...

Send us a text The Court of Lorenzo the Magnificent Part 5: Antonio and Piero Pollaiuolo Among the many artists who earned the attention of the Magnificent, the Pollaiuolo brothers left behind an artistic legacy closely tied with Medicean propaganda. This episode explores the role of the Pallaiuolo brothers in the development of Florentine Renaissance art, specifically through the works they completed for the Medici Palace: The Labors of Hercules. Later reappropriated, this e...

Send us a text The Court of Lorenzo the Magnificent Part 4: Angelo Poliziano Born Agnolo Ambrogini in Montepulciano in 1454, Poliziano rose to intellectual supremacy in Laurentian Florence as the premier Humanist and poet of the Medici court. This episode exlpores his education, life, and works in vernacular Italian, namely his Stanze and l'Orfeo. Poliziano is inseparable from the larger history of the Medici court. His output is directly tied to Medici family. He was friends with...

Send us a text The Court of Lorenzo de' Medici Part 3: Large-Scale Mythological Painting The 1480's in Florence was an age of relative prosperity under Lorenzo the Magnificent. During this period, the visual arts began to take a new shape. Influenced by both classical and contemporary literature and poetry, Lorenzo's court saw the introduction to large-scale mythological painting, ushered in by the famed Sandro Botticelli. This episode looks closely at the formation of Botticelli'...

Send us a text The Court of Lorenzo de' Medici Part 2: Lucrezia Tornabuoni Lucrezia Tornabuoni (1427-1482) was one of the key figures in both the political and cultural influence of the Medici family during the late 15th century. She served as a diplomat and stateswoman in the place of her ill husband, Piero the Gouty, and helped manage affairs for Lorenzo and Giuliano during their premature rise to power. In addition to her stately duties, Lucrezia was also an important patron and an a...

Send us a text The Court of Lorenzo de' Medici Part 1: Lorenzo the Magnificent To engage Lorenzo de' Medici's court in Florence, there is no better topic to introduce the subject than the man himself. This episode takes a glance at the life of Lorenzo as the quintessential "Renaissance Man." In his lifetime, not only was he a devoted head of his family, but a clever statesman, a patron of art, literature, and philosophy, and an exceptional architect and poet. More masterfully, Lor...

Send us a textRome was a neglected swamp when Pope Nicholas V came to power. An extremely well educated humanist, Medici ally, and frequenter of the classicist circles in Florence and Bologna, Nicholas was elected pope in 1447, arriving in a city whose former glory was buried in the mud. The papacy he inherited was fragile, as it recently endured the relocation from Avignon and the infamous Papal Schism. A relatively peaceful man, Nicholas V was intent on dispelling further papal conflic...

Send us a textLustful, unpredictable, and mischievous, Fra Filippo Lippi is a notorious figure of the Italian Renaissance. This episode surveys his life, looking primarily at three artworks: the San Lorenzo Annunciation, the Double Portrait at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and his famous Lippina. Together, these works uncover a story about a skilled artist, but one who constantly upset his social structure. We use his work to glimpse into the world of Renaissance women, including the nun Lu...

Send us a textSan Marco, Florence: Nowhere else does the entirety of Renaissance social history converge in such a dynamic way. Upon returning from exile in 1434, Cosimo de' Medici found himself laden with guilt over the means in which his family had acquired their massive fortune. Certainly, with Pope Eugenius IV living in Florence with the Papal Curia, there was no better time for the wealthy banker to invest in religious buildings, namely the convent of San Marco. On this site, Cosimo...

Send us a textWhat does it look like across three mediums when a new style harmonizes, and the conventions of the Middle Ages take a new form? Looking at three diverse artists and three different patrons, as well as an example of painting, sculpture, and architecture, this episode argues for the legibility of new stylistic concepts that constitute the modernity of the 15th century. Ultimately, this interaction gives insight to the intentions of the patrons in question, Cosimo de' Medici, Paol...

Send us a textIn this monumental 50th episode, join me in discussing a likewise monumental artist of the early Renaissance: Donatello. This episode examines the landmark works of the Florentine sculptor, taking a close look at his early life, mature works, and cultural impact. Donatello skillfully navigated the practical world of civic sculpture, then became a sought-after court artist in the elite world of early modern Italy. Looking closely at three sculptures in three mediums, this di...

Send us a textUndoubtedly one of the most important painters of the Florentine Renaissance, Masaccio broke the barriers of convention, producing the first monumental works in the Renaissance style. This episode discusses Masaccio's life and works, focusing on the famous Brancacci Chapel and his Holy Trinity in Santa Maria Novella. A close look at these works illuminates the effects of heightened naturalism and linear perspective as artists looked away from the conventions of Gothic painting, ...

Send us a textThe early 1400's in Italy saw the transition from the Gothic to the Renaissance style in painting. In major areas of patronage, be it for churches or wealthy patrons, a new style flourished that was representative of the interconnectivity between European cultures and the wider Mediterranean, one that bridges the Gothic and Renaissance styles - the International Gothic. Looking at two masterworks, one from Lorenzo Monaco and one from Gentile da Fabriano, this episode examines th...