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Churches of Florence: Santa Maria del Carmine and The Brancacci Chapel with Dr. Alessandra Becucci

Churches of Florence: Santa Maria del Carmine and The Brancacci Chapel with Dr. Alessandra Becucci


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Visit one of the most important churches in the Oltrarno neighborhood of Florence, home to the famous Brancacci Chapel with frescos by Masaccio and Masolino.
Sitting at the center of one of the most authentic neighborhoods in Florence, the high profile of Santa Maria del Carmine stands out on the skyline of the south-western area of the city center. First founded in 1268 by a group of Carmelite friars from Pisa, the basilica soon became a major religious center in a socially dynamic area populated by noble palaces and inhabited by commoners. In the thirteen century, the church and convent became a university-level center, a Studium, and several important artists worked there, thanks to the patronage of lay confraternities and private patrons. In the 1420s, Felice Brancacci commissioned to Masaccio and Masolino a cycle of frescoes with Stories of Saint Peter and Paul, that were soon to become a source of inspiration for artists such as Filippo Lippi, Michelangelo and Raffaello. Explore the Corsini chapel, one of the rare examples of Baroque decoration in Florence and, along with the Brancacci, the only survivor of a devastating fire that in 1771 destroyed most of the decoration of the church. Discover these impressive artworks, a testimony of Renaissance masters’ artistry as well as of the inextricable bond between art and society, and join us in the admiration of the lesser-known eighteenth-century decoration of this magnificent church.
Led by Florentine art historian Alessandra Becucci this conversation will introduce you to one of the hidden gems of Florence, from where a new artistic vision of the world started to diffuse.
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 5 reviews
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(5)
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S
S. (Takoma Park, US)
Always learn so much with Alessandra

It's always a learning experience with Alessandra. She is incredibly knowledgeable about Italy in general, and Florence specifically. I have taken a number of her courses and she is an excellent speaker. She takes us into a church (or a Medici villa) in such depth and helps us understand the connections between artists, the meaning of the artwork, and details about the building itself that we would not otherwise know about. 5 Stars!

D
D. (St. Catharines, CA)
Excellent!

Excellent presentation. She really knows her material and presents it extremely well! I have taken many context seminars, and this was the best!

S
Susan McG (Brooklyn, US)
Churches of Florence - Santa Maria del Carmine and the Brancacci Chapel Edition

I so enjoyed this session. I knew very little about this Church and Dr. Becucci as usual gives a wonderful narrative about the place, the historical significance and the art. Wonderful.

S
Sharon (Brooklyn, US)
Great talk

As always, interesting, well-organized, thoughtful and entertaining with great photos.

S
Stratis Sapuntzakis (Arlington, US)
Santa Maria del Carmine

In-depth and very detailed, lecture delivered with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Better than actually being there!

Customer Reviews

Based on 5 reviews
100%
(5)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
S
S. (Takoma Park, US)
Always learn so much with Alessandra

It's always a learning experience with Alessandra. She is incredibly knowledgeable about Italy in general, and Florence specifically. I have taken a number of her courses and she is an excellent speaker. She takes us into a church (or a Medici villa) in such depth and helps us understand the connections between artists, the meaning of the artwork, and details about the building itself that we would not otherwise know about. 5 Stars!

D
D. (St. Catharines, CA)
Excellent!

Excellent presentation. She really knows her material and presents it extremely well! I have taken many context seminars, and this was the best!

S
Susan McG (Brooklyn, US)
Churches of Florence - Santa Maria del Carmine and the Brancacci Chapel Edition

I so enjoyed this session. I knew very little about this Church and Dr. Becucci as usual gives a wonderful narrative about the place, the historical significance and the art. Wonderful.

S
Sharon (Brooklyn, US)
Great talk

As always, interesting, well-organized, thoughtful and entertaining with great photos.

S
Stratis Sapuntzakis (Arlington, US)
Santa Maria del Carmine

In-depth and very detailed, lecture delivered with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Better than actually being there!