The Competitive Sport of Fresco: Michelangelo and the Vault of the Sistine Chapel
Author Series Soirée (3/3)
Monday, March 22nd at 5:00 pm Eastern
In 1508, Pope Julius II - known because of his military expeditions as the ‘Warrior Pope’ - commissioned Michelangelo to fresco the vault of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo had very limited experience of the physically and technically difficult technique of fresco, much less on the underside of a 12,000-square-foot surface. His reputation had been made in sculpture, with works such as the Pietà and the David, rather than in paint. This illustrated lecture examines the circumstances surrounding Michelangelo’s commission and how, in the four years between 1508 and 1512, he worked on his immense fresco in direct competition with Raphael, his younger and prodigiously talented contemporary, who was working on his own frescoes a few steps away in the Papal Apartments.
Ross King is the best-selling author of six books on Italian Renaissance art and history, including Brunelleschi’s Dome, Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling, and Leonardo and The Last Supper. In tandem with his writing, Ross is an active fundraiser for the arts and a passionate on-site lecturer.
Virtual Soirée presentation procedure:
Dana and our guide will arrive at the meeting 10 minutes in advance for those of you who would like to say hello and make sure your zoom settings are ready. The presentation will start promptly at the scheduled hour, and Dana will begin the meeting by muting the microphones and introducing our speaker. The talk will be recorded. The lecture will last about 45 minutes and afterward Dana will moderate a Q&A session. If you show up late, no worries, you will be muted upon entry.
After the tour, you will receive a follow-up email with a recording of the event. You will be able to access this recording until March 31st, 2021.
How to Join
Purchase a membership! → Turquoise & Platinum members receive invitations to all winter programming automatically, plus exclusive perks. No need to sign up below!
Purchase a Soirée Passport → Receive invitations to all tours for this soirée automatically and get access to the recordings by purchasing the passport package. No need to sign up below!
Purchase only this tour → Sign up below! Everyone’s first tour is complimentary, simply add this tour to your cart and use the code WINTERESCAPE at checkout. If you have already used the code once, then you can still purchase a ticket to this tour and access to the recording for $35.