arthistory

This episode is the second part of my two-part interview with visionary entrepreneur, Nirav Tolia, co-founder of the social media giant Nextdoor. We argue that those principles that drive innovation and creativity in Silicon Valley today are very much the …

This episode is the first part of a two-part interview with visionary entrepreneur, Nirav Tolia, co-founder of the social media giant Nextdoor. We discuss Nirav’s motivation for spending a year in Florence, Italy, teaching a course to Stanford University students …

This episode examines the splendid artistic decoration of one of Florence’s best hidden gems – the Chapel of the Magi inside of the Medici Palace. Full a sumptuous materials and decorations, the walls of the chapel were beautifully painted by …

This episode examines the history and architecture of the first Renaissance-style family palace in Florence, Italy. The Medici Palace was not only the home of the family, but also the seat of their political and financial power. Commissioned by Cosimo …

Episode Info: This episode examines the rise to power and legacy of one the longest-lasting dynasties in history. From relatively modest beginnings, the Medici family became one of the most wealthy and powerful families of Renaissance Italy, as well as …

Episode Info: This episode analyzes one of the best-preserved and influential Renaissance paintings of the Last Supper. Located in the former refectory of a nunnery in Florence, Italy, the painting exhibits various traditional elements typical of the subject, but it also displays …

Episode Info: This episode explores the sublime painting decoration of the great Early Renaissance painter Fra Angelico in the convent of San Marco. From his utilitarian paintings in the cloister, to the majestic Crucifixion in the chapterhouse, to his celebrated Annunciation and finally to …

Episode Info: This episode is the first part of a two-part episode that examines the history and architecture of the first-ever Renaissance style convent. San Marco, which has been described as the most beautiful convent in all of Italy, was …

Episode Info: This episode answers some of the questions asked directly by my listeners. From where the striping pattern on Tuscan churches comes from, to what kind of vegetal crown Donatello’s bronze David wears, to the orientation of Michelangelo’s New Sacristy, …

Episode Info: This episode is the second part of my two-part episode about Donatello’s eclectic statue of David. It examines the unusual iconography of the statue as well as the particular homoerotic culture of Renaissance Florence.