Art Stars of the Italian Renaissance with Dr. Rocky Ruggiero

How did Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Raphael, and Caravaggio win fame and commissions during their lifetime? What role did the Renaissance biographer Georgio Vasari play in perpetuating their posthumous reputations? Why is the Mona Lisa so famous? What role did modern biographical novels and biopic films such as "The Agony and the Ecstasy" (by Irving Stone, 1961) play in making these artists household names? Has effusive reproductions of these works in books, posters and on the internet increased their appeal while overshadowing their artistry? Dr. Ruggiero addresses these topics and more. This lecture was presented in conjunction with the NSU Art Museum exhibition, Picturing Fame: From Toulouse-Lautrec to Today.