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Churches of Florence: Santa Croce with Dr. Alessandra Becucci

Churches of Florence: Santa Croce with Dr. Alessandra Becucci


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A treasure chest of Italian art, Santa Croce sits in the center of one of Florence’s liveliest and most culturally rich neighborhoods. Join us to visit the Pantheon of Florence, home to the tombs of Machiavelli, Michelangelo, and Galileo, along with masterpieces by Cimabue, Giotto, Donatello, and Brunelleschi.
Built by the Franciscan order not long after the death of St Francis, Santa Croce is famed for its extensive array of paintings by the most important painter of the 1300s, Giotto. We will learn how and why his work was favored by the Florentine nobility, who commissioned him to decorate their private family chapels. The innovative character of his painting inspired artists such as Masaccio and Michelangelo centuries later. By the 1400s, Santa Croce became known as “The Pantheon of Florence” when monumental tombs honoring heroes of the Florentine Republic were erected here. The tomb of Renaissance master Lorenzo Ghiberti, the celebrated author of the Gates of the Florentine Baptistry, became a prototype for future church memorials. In 1530, while the Imperial troops besieged Florence, the first-ever Florentine soccer match was played in front of the church to show the enemy camped on the hills south of the city how resilient the Florentines were. A few years later, under Medici rule, the court architect Giorgio Vasari redecorated the Basilica and designed the most famous monument in the church, the tomb of Michelangelo Buonarroti. Later, other important personalities were celebrated in Santa Croce, including Galileo Galilei, Gioacchino Rossini, and several prominent members of the many communities of foreign residents in Florence.
Led by Florentine art historian Alessandra Becucci this conversation will take us to the heart of Florence to discover the rich history of its famed churches. Join us in the exploration of Santa Croce, one of the best expressions of Italian artistic genius ever created.
This conversation is part of a series on the churches of Florence with Alessandra Becucci. Each session is designed as a stand-alone seminar as well as part of the series.

Born and raised in Florence, Alessandra has a degree in art history from the University of Florence with a specialization in seventeenth-century painting. She obtained an MRes from the European University Institute in Florence, where she defended her Ph.D in history, focusing on the patronage of Tuscan nobility in Europe during the seventeenth century. She has been teaching art history and Italian for several years in various schools and institutions in Florence.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 13 reviews
77%
(10)
23%
(3)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
A
A. (Alexandria, US)

Guest did not leave comment

C
Carolyn Thomas-Davidoff (Western Springs, US)
An Excellent, Detailed Presentation on Santa Croce in Florence

Dr. A. Becucci brings an exceptional level of knowledge to this presentation. As a Florentine herself, she also contributes current knowledge of the city's happenings, as well as the historical; which can be helpful to tourists in planning their trips. She has a nice sense of humor, as displayed in her discussion of the Palio in Siena.

k
kathy d (Sebastopol, US)
Churches of Florence: Santa Croce

Thank you Dr. Alessandra for another great lecture. The rich history of Santa Croce is presented beautifully with your knowledge and slides.

K
Kris Tooley (Ottawa, CA)
Informative Session

I really enjoyed the course on the Santa Croce in Florence. Dr. Becucci is very knowledgeable about church and art history, and shared some very interesting anecdotes with us, I would recommend this course for anyone interested in Florence.

C
Christine C Burch (Staunton, US)
wonderful presentation

We have visited Santa Croce many times. Dr. Becucci added a new dimension to my understanding of this church and its history....

Customer Reviews

Based on 13 reviews
77%
(10)
23%
(3)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
A
A. (Alexandria, US)

Guest did not leave comment

C
Carolyn Thomas-Davidoff (Western Springs, US)
An Excellent, Detailed Presentation on Santa Croce in Florence

Dr. A. Becucci brings an exceptional level of knowledge to this presentation. As a Florentine herself, she also contributes current knowledge of the city's happenings, as well as the historical; which can be helpful to tourists in planning their trips. She has a nice sense of humor, as displayed in her discussion of the Palio in Siena.

k
kathy d (Sebastopol, US)
Churches of Florence: Santa Croce

Thank you Dr. Alessandra for another great lecture. The rich history of Santa Croce is presented beautifully with your knowledge and slides.

K
Kris Tooley (Ottawa, CA)
Informative Session

I really enjoyed the course on the Santa Croce in Florence. Dr. Becucci is very knowledgeable about church and art history, and shared some very interesting anecdotes with us, I would recommend this course for anyone interested in Florence.

C
Christine C Burch (Staunton, US)
wonderful presentation

We have visited Santa Croce many times. Dr. Becucci added a new dimension to my understanding of this church and its history....