Podcasts-2 - Rocky Ruggiero

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Rebuilding The Renaissance 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.

"No one brings the Renaissance to life better than Rocky"

- Historywrocky

"No one brings the Renaissance to life better than Rocky"

- Treskovich

"No one brings the Renaissance to life better than Rocky"

- Valoreev

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Episodes

Cities Artists Theory Answers to Open Questions Interviews

Florence Other Italian Cities Rome Venice

Episode 165 – Rome: The Basilica of St. Peter

Posted: March 16th, 2022

After 120 years of construction, the reign of 18 different popes, and the direction of 12 different architects, St. Peter’s Basilica was finally consecrated in 1626. Measuring more than two football fields in length, it was by far the largest church in Christendom, and a fitting monument to the bu...

Episode 164 – Michelangelo and the Tomb of Julius II

Posted: March 9th, 2022

When Michelangelo was called to Rome in 1506 by the Pope Julius II, it was to design and carve the mother of all tombs. Intended to stand four stories in height and directly over the tomb of St. Peter, and to accommodate 40 over-life-sized statues, it was a direct reflection of both the pope’s meg...

Episode 163 – Venice – Titian’s “Assumption” and “Pesaro Altarpiece” in the church of the Frari

Posted: March 2nd, 2022

Titian's two great altarpieces in the great Franciscan basilica of Venice known as the "Frari" marked a turning point in the artist's career. These were his first two public commissions and allowed all of Venice to appreciate the extraordinary talent of a young artist who was still only in his twent...

Episode 161 – Venice: Giorgione’s “Tempest” and “La Vecchia”

Posted: February 16th, 2022

Notwithstanding that his life and artistic career were cut short by plague in 1510 while the artist was in his thirties, Giorgione revolutionized European painting by his introduction of enigmatic and unconventional iconography. This episode examines two of Giorgione's most important paintings, both...

Episode 160 – Venice – Vittore Carpaccio’s “The Legend of St. Ursula”

Posted: February 9th, 2022

Carpaccio's extraordinary visual narrative of the life of St. Ursula is one of the most celebrated examples of cyclical Venetian Renaissance painting. Recently restored, the nine large canvases are now on display in the Accademia Gallery of Venice and present a vivid snapshot of life in Venice at th...

Episode 159 – Venice: Gentile Bellini, Vittore Carpaccio and the Relic of the True Cross

Posted: February 2nd, 2022

At the end of the 15th century, large-scale-cyclical-narrative paintings became quite popular in Renaissance Venice. One of these cycles illustrates in spectacular fashion the legends of the relic of the True Cross that was owned by the Scuola Grande of St. John the Evangelist. This episode examines...

Episode 158 – Venice: Giovanni Bellini’s “St. Job Altarpiece”

Posted: January 26th, 2022

This episode examines the first great Venetian painting of the Renaissance. Although the Venetian school of painting appeared almost a full century after that of Florence, the extraordinary genius of Venetian painters such as Giovanni Bellini rapidly made it the major rival of central Italian Renais...

Episode 156 – The Divine Michelangelo Part VIII – The Doni Tondo

Posted: January 12th, 2022

This episode examines the only painting by Michelangelo in Florence, and one of only two finished paintings executed by the artist before he decorated the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. In many ways the vibrant, expressive colors and sculptural plasticity of the figures in this painting anticipated ...

Episode 155 – Leonardo vs. Michelangelo- The Battle of the Battles – Part II

Posted: January 5th, 2022

In 1504, Florence found its two greatest artists in the city at the same time. Not wanting to miss this rare opportunity to have them test their talents against each other, massive murals were commissioned from each in the great hall of Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio. This second part of a 2-part podc...

Episode 154 – Leonardo vs. Michelangelo- The Battle of the Battles – Part I

Posted: December 29th, 2021

Episode 148 – The Divine Michelangelo Part III – The Bacchus

Posted: November 17th, 2021

Michelangelo arrived in Rome for the first time in 1496 at the age of 21. His first important patron was the fabulously wealthy Cardinal Riario who wanted the young sculptor to carve a statue of the Roman god of wine that he could pass off as an antique. Surprisingly, Riario did not accept the finis...

Episode 144 – The Brera Gallery in Milan, Italy

Posted: October 20th, 2021

This episode explores the extraordinary collection of Italian Renaissance paintings in Milan's most important painting museum, which houses masterpieces by Caravaggio, Raphael, Piero Della Francesca, Tintoretto, Bellini and Mantegna. ...

Episode 142 – Leonardo da Vinci’s Sala delle Asse

Posted: October 6th, 2021

This episode examines one of the most unique decorative programs in history. A room in the Sforza Castle in Milan whose walls and vault are covered with illusionistic trees that form a natural pergola. We also discuss how Leonardo's expression of arboreal architecture has been brought back to life w...

Episode 137 – Leonardo da Vinci and the Bronze Horse

Posted: September 1st, 2021

Duke Ludovico Sforza’s principal motivation for bringing Leonardo to Milan was most likely Leonardo’s experience in working with bronze. The duke was hoping to apply Leonardo’s experience and talent to the realization of a colossal equestrian monument in honor of his father Francesco Sforza. T...

Episode 135 – Hugo van der Goes’ “Portinari Altarpiece” (Uffizi Gallery, Florence)

Posted: August 18th, 2021

This podcast examines the exquisite Flemish masterpiece which was painted for a prominent Italian patron. Located in the Uffizi Galleries in Florence, Italy, the "Portinari Altarpiece" exhibits all those aspects typical of the early Flemish Renaissance period, but with an Italian twist to suit the p...

Episode 134 – Piero della Francesca’s “Madonna of the Egg” (Brera Gallery, Milan)

Posted: August 11th, 2021

This podcast examines one of the most important paintings of the early Renaissance: the "Madonna of the Egg" also known as the "Montefeltro" or "Brera Altarpiece" by Piero della Francesca. Painted between 1472-74, the painting was most likely commissioned to celebrate the birth of the son of the Duk...

Episode 133 – Pienza: The Ideal Renaissance Town

Posted: August 4th, 2021

In 1459, Pope Pius II transformed the provincial town of his birth, Corsignano, into an ideal Renaissance urban town and renamed it after himself - Pienza. His architect, Bernardo Rossellino, was a follower of Leon Battista Alberti, and applied both medieval and classical architectural principles to...

Episode 132 – Florence: Strozzi Palace

Posted: July 28th, 2021

This podcast explores the architecture and history of one of the largest family palaces in Florence, built for the illustrious Strozzi family. After nearly a half-century of exile for their failed attempt at exiling the Medici, the fabulously wealthy banker Filippo Strozzi was the first of his famil...

Episode 131 – Florence: Rucellai Palace

Posted: July 21st, 2021

This podcast examines the architecture, authorship, and history of one of Florence's most important early Renaissance family palaces. Perhaps the most classically inspired of the 15th-century palaces in the city, the Rucellai Palace is a true Renaissance architectural gem. ...

Episode 130 – Florence (Santa Maria Novella): The Tornabuoni Chapel Frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio

Posted: July 14th, 2021

This podcast examines the extraordinary early Renaissance fresco cycle in the family chapel of Giovanni Tornabuoni, who was the uncle of Lorenzo the Magnificent de' Medici. It was while Ghirlandaio was working on these frescoes in Santa Maria Novella in the 1480s that a 13-year-old apprentice named ...

Episode 127 – Leonardo da Vinci’s Resume

Posted: June 23rd, 2021

In 1482, Leonardo da Vinci sent a letter to the then regent of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, in hopes of landing the position of court artist of the duchy of Milan. This episode will examine this letter, which is essentially the resume of the great artist, and how someone like Leonardo would qualify himse...

Episode 125 – Florence: Uffizi Gallery – Leonardo da Vinci’s “Adoration of the Magi”

Posted: June 9th, 2021

In 1481, Leonardo began work on a major altarpiece for the church of San Donato a Scopeto. At the same time, he sent his resume to the ruler of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, in hopes of landing the position of court artist for that duchy. This episode examines Leonardo’s painting of the Adoration of the...

Episode 123 – Florence: Uffizi Gallery – Leonardo da Vinci’s “Annunciation”

Posted: May 26th, 2021

This podcast will analyze Leonardo’s earliest known painting for the church of San Bartolomeo a Monte Oliveto, which he painted at only 20 years of age. Leonardo’s early works were clear indicators of his unique artistic vision and superlative talent. "The Annunciation" is not only stunningly be...

Episode 122 – Botticelli’s Muse – Simonetta Cattaneo Vespucci

Posted: May 19th, 2021

This episode will attempt to unravel the mystery behind one of the world’s most famous paintings – the Birth of Venus by Botticelli. Was the artist's muse the legendary Simonetta Cattaneo Vespucci, who is still reputed to be the most beautiful woman of Renaissance Florence? Just who was this leg...

Episode 121 – History: The Pazzi Conspiracy

Posted: May 6th, 2021

On April 26, 1478, Giuliano de’ Medici lay dead on the pavement of Florence cathedral with 19 stab wounds serving as testimony to the vicious attack that he had just suffered. Had his assassins succeeded in eliminating his older brother, Lorenzo “il Magnifico” de’ Medici, that day as well, t...

Episode 120 – Rome: The Sistine Chapel before Michelangelo

Posted: May 5th, 2021

Decades before Michelangelo climbed up on the nearly 70 feet of scaffolding to adorn the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, a veritable “All-Star Team” of late-15th- century artists had already decorated its walls. Artists such as Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Pietro Perugino, and Luca Si...

Episode 119 – Florence: Uffizi Gallery – Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”

Posted: April 28th, 2021

Sandro Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" is one of the most celebrated paintings in the history of art. The work depicts how the Roman goddess of love, Venus, came into being. This episode will examine the style, composition and symbolism of the painting, as well as discuss those factors that give the p...

Episode 118 – Florence: Uffizi Gallery – Botticelli’s “Primavera”

Posted: April 21st, 2021

When Botticelli painted the "Primavera" in the 1470s, he opened up a veritable Pandora’s Box. No longer would Renaissance artists be limited to simply dressing Christian saints in togas and sandals, they could now gradually introduce the very literature, philosophy and religion of the ancient Grec...

Episode 116 – Florence: Andrea del Verrocchio – Part II

Posted: April 7th, 2021

This episode is the second part of a two-part episode about the extraordinary 15th-century Florentine artist who is best known as the master of Leonardo da Vinci. We examine Verrocchio's later sculptures such as the "Putto with a Dolphin", "Lady with a Primrose" and his "Equestrian Monument to Barto...

Episode 115 – Florence: Andrea del Verrocchio – Part I

Posted: March 31st, 2021

This first part of a two-part episode examines the art and career of the extraordinary sculptor who is best known as the master of Leonardo da Vinci. Although often overshadowed by the notoriety of his pupil, Verrocchio was one of the most significant sculptors in history. He was also one of the ...

Episode 114 – Piero della Francesca’s Flagellation in Urbino

Posted: March 24th, 2021

Kenneth Clark described Della Francesca’s painting as the “the greatest small painting in the world.” Much has been written about the enigmatic meaning of the work, including it serving as a metaphor for the fall of Constantinople. This episode examines the iconography of the famous painting a...

Episode 113 – Piero della Francesca’s Paintings in San Sepolcro and Monterchi

Posted: March 17th, 2021

This episode examines the extraordinary paintings in the second leg of the "Piero della Francesca Trail" in the Tuscan towns of San Sepolcro and Monterchi. From Piero's majestic "Madonna della Misericordia," to his iconic "Resurrection," and finally to his moving fresco of "The Madonna del Parto," l...

Episode 112 – Arezzo: The Legend of the True Cross by Piero della Francesca

Posted: March 10th, 2021

This episode examines the extraordinary fresco cycle in the Basilica of San Francesco in Arezzo, Italy. Painted by Piero della Francesca beginning in 1452 in the high chapel of the church, the frescoes are one the most important painting cycles of the early Renaissance and one of the artist's best-k...

Episode 111 – Padua: Andrea Mantegna’s frescoes in the Church of the Eremitani

Posted: March 3rd, 2021

This episode examines Andrea Mantegna's extraordinary early frescoes in the Augustinian church of the Eremitani in Padua, Italy. Despite being largely destroyed by Allied bombs in March 1944, the paintings (which have been heavily reconstructed) are still considered some of the most important expres...

Episode 110 – Padua: Donatello’s “Gattamelata” and Statues in the Santo

Posted: February 24th, 2021

This episode explores Donatello's extraordinary artistic production during his sojourn in Padua during the 1440s. From his milestone Equestrian Monument to Gattamelata, to his refined bronze Crucifix, to his 3-dimensional sculptural sacra conversazione and complex perspectival bronze relief scu...

Episode 109 – Florence: Equestrian Frescoes of John Hawkwood and Niccolò da Tolentino in Florence Cathedral

Posted: February 17th, 2021

This episode examines the two monumental equestrian frescoes by Paolo Uccello and Andrea del Castagno in Florence cathedral that represent two celebrated mercenary captains who had honorably served the Florentine Republic in the 14th and 15th centuries. These works represent two of the earliest Rena...

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"Rocky is a favorite and one of the best art historians we’ve ever used. He has led our family on occasion where are high school and college kids praised how Rocky made art "interesting" and "relevant", while his interactive style held everyone’s attention"

Michael Chesser

President and Founder Chesser Group Inc., Los Angeles CA

"I can say that Rocky Ruggiero is the best among the very best. I have yet to encounter a more precise, informative and commanding teacher or conductor through the beauty and magnificence of Florence and Italy"

Peter Weller

Actor, Director, Writer, Musician, Scholar

"We recently traveled to Florence with our twin daughters and we wanted them to experience the rich art history of Florence in a more personalized basis. We were grateful that Rocky agreed to this assignment. His Knowledge, love and enthusiasm for the arts was contagious. It was the highlight of our trip!"

Alan L. Rivera

CFO and General Counsel, Millbrook Capital Management, Inc.