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Leonardo’s Legacy: Renaissance Man
Tuesday, January 15th 6:00pm
Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago
500 N Michigan Ave Suite 1450
Presented on the occasion of the 500th Anniversary of the Death of Leonardo da Vinci
The first of a series of lectures at the Italian Cultural Institute by Professor Giovanni Aloi (School of the Art Institute of Chicago)
Leonardo da Vinci’s ability to see beneath the surface of appearances laid the foundations of the modern world. From technology to art and science, Leonardo’s desire to discover and understand the secret workings of the natural world bore a deeply modern, existentialist tone to European culture. At times, Leonardo’s genius saw into the future and envisioned a functional world designed to better life. At others, he focused his efforts on dreaming up lethal war machines fine-tuned to eradicate it. From his outstanding paintings to his scientific perspectives, Leonardo’s oeuvre pieces together the image of a visionary mind capable of shaping the world in ways that impact our lives today.
This series of lectures explores the legacy of Leonardo’s complex genius, focusing on the key moments that made the polymath’s life and career of incomparable importance to the history of the Western world.
This Lecture:
The Italian Renaissance was an unprecedented moment of cultural flourish. Ignited by the rediscovery of Greek Classical culture, artistic and scientific revolutions laid the foundations of the modern world. This lecture explores the role of the Renaissance man, a pivotal figure in the cultural direction that saw the end of the hegemony of religion and mythology in Western culture.
Leonardo’s genius is considered in the broader historical context of this time and in relation to the challenges he faced throughout his illustrious life.
The following lectures will also be presented as part of this series:
February 12: Leonardo’s Legacy: Nature, Realism, and Philosophy
March 19: Leonardo’s Legacy: Painting — Layers of Intensity
April 16: Leonardo’s Legacy: Technology — Envisioning the Future
Giovanni Aloi is an art historian in modern and contemporary art. He currently teaches at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Sotheby’s Institute of Art New York and London, and Tate Galleries. He regularly lectures on modern and contemporary art at the Art Institute of Chicago. His work has been translated in Italian, Chinese, French, Russian, Polish, and Spanish.