ONLINE ART HISTORY COURSE “In the Shadow of Leonardo da Vinci: Verrocchio, Lorenzo di Credi, and the Art of Florence in the Late 15th Century”

Course Description:

In the 1450s, Andrea del Verrocchio was a successful sculptor and painter, working for major guilds and patrons in Renaissance Florence.  After Leonardo da Vinci joined his studio as an apprentice around 1467, the youngster quickly outshone everyone with his talent. Some artists, such as Lorenzo di Credi, were prolific and successful, but have been largely forgotten in the wake of Leonardo da Vinci’s fame.

This class will examine life in Verrocchio’s studio, the career of Lorenzo di Credi, and the long shadow cast by the genius from Vinci.

Virtual Classroom: Full access to an online educational platform with videos of recordings, syllabus and readings.

Location: LIVE INTERACTIVE ON-LINE ART HISTORY LECTURES

Optional Readings: Information will be provided 2 weeks before the start of the course.

Complete syllabus will be provided 2 weeks before the start of the course.

• ALL LECTURES WILL BE RECORDED AND AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT YOUR CONVENIENCE IN OUR VIDEO LIBRARY FOR TWO WEEKS AFTER THE COURSE HAS ENDED.

LECTURE 1 - Andrea del Verrocchio and His Studio

Friday, March 6

Born in 1435, Andrea del Verrocchio was one of the most important artists of the early Renaissance in Florence. Trained by a goldsmith and patronized by the Medici, Andrea sculpted and painted some of the most important public and private works in Florence before moving to Venice.

LECTURE 2 - Lorenzo di Credi in Florence and Environs

Friday, March 13

Lorenzo di Credi inherited Verrocchio’s studio and was a prolific painter of religious scenes and portraits. His works were influenced by his interest in religious reform, especially that of Savonarola, and his patrons included members of the rising Florentine middle class.

 
LECTURE 3 - Lorenzo di Credi and Leonardo da Vinci 

Friday, March 20

Lorenzo and Leonardo trained together in Andrea’s workshop. When Andrea moved to Venice in 1483, Lorenzo took charge of Andrea’s workshop, which he later inherited.  Leonardo had been independent since at least 1478 and moved to Milan around 1482. While in the same studio, their works shared similarities, but as they grew their paths diverged, with Leonardo’s reputation surpassing Lorenzo’s.

Dr. Meghan Callahan has lived and worked in London since 2006. Like Rocky, she earned her Master’s degree in Art History from Syracuse University as a Florence Fellow. She has a Ph.D. in Art History from Rutgers University. Meghan is the Director of Ithaca College London, where she teaches a history course called Underground London.

She worked on the reinstallation of the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and then with the sculpture dealer Patricia Wengraf. Meghan has published various articles and essays on the 16th-century mystic nun Sister Domenica da Paradiso, miraculous paintings in Renaissance Florence, and Italian Renaissance and Baroque sculpture.