ONLINE ART HISTORY COURSE
“Splendid Sicily: Art at the Crossroads of the Mediterranean” Part 2

 Course Description:

Where can one visit the best-preserved Greek temples in the world? Not in Greece but in Sicily. Where can one find the world’s most fully preserved set of figural ancient Roman floor mosaics? Not in Pompeii but in Sicily. Where can one find incomparable Byzantine mosaics side by side with perfectly preserved Islamic wooden ceilings? Not in Istanbul but in Sicily. Where does the Baroque take on twists and turns never imagined in the rest of Europe? Of course, in Sicily. And where does the past still come brilliantly alive in popular arts and processions? You’ve got it, in Sicily.

In this two-part course marvel at Sicilian creativity and beauty across the ages. Learn how Sicilians, living at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, have always celebrated and embraced the best that multi-culturalism offered them.

Part One of this course will introduce you to the art and architecture of Sicily’s three Golden Ages: the Greek and Roman, Medieval, and Baroque eras. Then in Part Two drill down to learn more about other intriguing corners of Sicilian art and history: its surprising contributions to Renaissance painting, its lively popular culture, and Sicilians’ remarkable artistic responses to hard times and disasters that have always been part of the island’s history. You’ll be convinced that Sicily truly is splendid.

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 – Art in Renaissance Sicily from Antonello da Messina to Caravaggio

-Monday, November 2

Sicily doesn’t often come to mind when one thinks about the Renaissance, but Antonello da Messina was a real innovator.  He introduced oil painting to Italy and mastered the mysterious smile before Leonardo da Vinci.  Spanish rulers brought Central Italian sculpture to the island, and Caravaggio painted his last and arguably most intense works there.

LECTURE 2 – The Popular Arts of Sicily: Puppets, Pottery, and Pastries

-Monday, November 9

Catch a glimpse of how Sicilians have entertained and delighted themselves for generations with renowned handicrafts and tempting desserts.  Singing with color, pattern, and verve, the popular arts bring us close to the optimistic side of Sicily, celebrating the common joys of life on a sun-drenched island.

LECTURE 3 – Earthquakes, Plagues and Foreign Invasions Inspiring Sicilian Creativity

-Monday, November 16

When disasters hit Sicily, Sicilians knew how to cope.  Learn how Sicilians used processions and festivals both to ward off evil and celebrate their survival. See how rebuilding the Baroque cities of Catania and Noto left us with an indelible image of transformation and renewal.

Dr. Gary M. Radke is Professor Emeritus of Art History at Syracuse University, where he directed the Florence Graduate Program in Renaissance Art and was named Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence. His publications on Italian medieval and Renaissance art range from a book on the thirteenth-century papal palace in Viterbo to essays on the patronage of nuns in Renaissance Venice. He curated major loan exhibitions throughout the United States on Italian Renaissance sculptors Lorenzo Ghiberti, Luca della Robbia, Andrea del Verrocchio, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci. His widely distributed college textbook on Italian Renaissance art, co-authored with John Paoletti, appeared in four editions and in Spanish and Chinese translations. Gary is past president of the Italian Art Society and a fellow of the American Academy in Rome. In retirement Professor Radke and his wife Nancy have settled into an historic home in Savannah, Georgia, where Gary is now a trustee of the Historic Savannah Foundation and chair of its Architectural Review Committee. He continues to write scholarly articles and enjoys lecturing in Italy for various cultural groups.