Florence's Uffizi Galleries: What You Need to Know Before You Go

Explore the halls of the Uffizi and unlock secrets of Renaissance masterpieces
US$27
Preview
US$27
Watch on your schedule, you will receive a link to watch the lecture online immedately upon purchase.
Duration
74 minutes
Product Type
Lecture
Venues
Uffizi Gallery
Lecture Details
Photos & Highlights
  • Learn how these masterpieces reflect the personal dramas, cultural shifts, and groundbreaking innovations that defined the Renaissance.
  • Understand the techniques that revolutionized art, like Botticelli’s layered symbolism, Leonardo’s sfumato, and Titian’s luminous oil glazes.
Lecture Description
What secrets lie behind the world's most famous masterpieces? Step into Florence's Uffizi Gallery with cultural historian Kate Bolton-Porciatti and uncover the stories that transformed art forever. From Botticelli's ethereal Primavera to da Vinci's Adoration of the Magi, this lecture takes you on a virtual journey through the gallery's celebrated collection, revealing the artistry, innovation, and intrigue of the Italian Renaissance.                               
Meet Your Expert
Kate

A British-Italian citizen, Kate Bolton-Porciatti is a professor of Italian cultural history and music at the Istituto Lorenzo de’Medici in Florence, where she teaches BA and MA courses in the humanities. She also lectures regularly at the British Institute of Florence and the Chigiana Academy in Siena. Kate first lived in Italy in the 1980s in order to write her M.Phil. thesis - an interdisciplinary study exploring the musical and artistic culture of early Renaissance Florence. Later, she married a Florentine and came back to enjoy ‘la dolce vita’ permanently! From 1989 to 2005, Kate was a producer and broadcaster for BBC Arts & Classical Music in London, for whom she made hundreds of documentaries and features on cultural topics, including co-productions with WGBH and NPR. She has also published extensively as an academic and a journalist and is a regular contributor to the Italian travel pages of the Daily Telegraph, UK. Kate’s guiding ethos is to share her passion for the visual arts, music, and the natural beauty of Tuscany.

This lecture will dive into famous works, including Filippo Lippi’s Coronation of the Virgin, Leonardo’s early works like The Baptism of Christ, and Titian’s sensual Venus of Urbino. You'll explore how revolutionary techniques like sfumato and linear perspective brought these works to life and discover the personal dramas and bold visions that defined an era. You’ll also uncover hidden details, like how Botticelli wove layers of myth and symbolism into The Birth of Venus, or how the psychological intensity of Caravaggio’s Medusa and The Sacrifice of Isaac offers a chilling glimpse into his own tormented psyche.

This immersive experience offers more than an art history lesson—it’s a window into a world of beauty, complexity, and human genius. By the end of this lecture, you’ll have a deeper understanding of what makes these masterpieces so enduring, from their technical brilliance to their emotional resonance. Whether you’re planning a trip to Florence or simply seeking to enrich your appreciation of art, this experience will inspire and transform the way you view the Renaissance and its legacy. 
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