Details

EXCLUSIVE WEBINAR | “A Pilgrimage to Rome: Bernini’s Angelic Path to the Basilica of Saint Peter”
Presented by Dr. Paolo Alei
with Additional Commentary by Dr. Rocky Ruggiero

This lecture will virtually take you on a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome as envisioned by Bernini in the 17^th century. We will ideally walk on the Bridge of Castel Sant’Angelo and through Piazza San Pietro to reach the glorious Baldacchino, and finally the Cathedra Petri, instrument of preparation and wait for the end of time. Bernini conceived the whole pilgrimage route as a Theatrum Sacrum, a sacred theatrical path with an increasing angelic presence which literally turns into a theophany around the final destination—metaphoric vision of the New Jerusalem.

The webinar will include a 45-minute lecture followed by 15-minutes of Q&A.

Please note:

• Your participation is confirmed once you have purchased your ticket. You will receive the Zoom Link to join the presentation circa 30 minutes before the start time.
• VIDEO RECORDING of the webinar will be available for unlimited streaming at your convenience for 7 days after the event.

Lecturer

Paolo Alei is an art historian from Rome. He is Professor of art history at the University of California (the UCEAP academic program in Italy) and Curator of the Museum of the Castle of Bracciano near Rome. He has a Master from Columbia University where he specialized on Venetian Renaissance Painting and a PhD from Oxford University where he completed a dissertation on the influence of the Natural History by Pliny the Elder on Italian Renaissance art. He has published several essays on Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, and a book on the history of the Venice Carnival. Recently, he coedited a monumental book about the patronage of the Orsini family in Central Italy. He is co-organizer of EMR (Early Modern Rome), one of the greatest conferences about Renaissance and Baroque culture.