Tuesday, March 14
Art and the Black Death: Disaster, Despair and Hope 

As communities grappled with an invisible enemy, artists have often tried to make sense of the random destruction brought by plagues. Their interpretation of the horrors they witnessed has changed radically over time, but what has remained constant is the artists’ desire to capture the essence of an epidemic.  The 14th century plague significantly affected European culture, the idea of death, and religion. During this time, many artistic representations captured moments of terrible misfortune, sarcasm, and—sometimes—hope. This period often was characterized by death and its many, constantly evolving representations.

Join Renaissance art historian Elaine Ruffolo for a fascinating look at art and society before and after  the plague. She will raise the question, did the disaster help fuel the Renaissance? 

Location: Palazzo San Niccolo

Time: 6:30 PM

Cost: 20 euro including drink

Click here to sign-up.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Triumph of Death, c. 1562

Plague, 1898, Arnold Böcklin, Kunstmuseum, Basel 

Edvard Munch’s Self-portrait with Spanish Flu, 1919, Nasjonalmuseet/ Lathion, Jacques