Renaissance in Lombardy and the Ticinese Region

The course aims to explore the evolution of architecture and the figurative arts in the territories of the former Duchy of Milan from the late fourteenth century to the early decades of the sixteenth century, with particular attention to the distinctive development of Renaissance language in the Lombard context. Through the analysis of major sacred buildings and the artworks they house, the course will examine the stylistic and typological features that define the Lombard Renaissance, highlighting the coexistence of innovative trends and late Gothic survivals, as well as the ongoing dialogue between local artistic culture and influences from other Italian and European centers.
The lectures, supported by selected readings of primary sources and critical texts, will offer an in-depth study of the key figures in Milanese art between the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, including Donato Bramante, Leonardo da Vinci, Vincenzo Foppa, Bramantino, Bernardino Luini and Cristoforo Solari. The course will focus on their most significant works, analyzing their iconographic content, formal values, production contexts, and patronage. Attention will also be given to comparisons with the contemporary artistic production of masters active in other geographical areas, such as Albrecht Dürer, Andrea Mantegna and Perugino, whose works were not only known but, in some cases, physically present in the territories of the Duchy of Milan, thus contributing to the renewal of the local visual language. Finally, particular attention will be given to the artistic and cultural relations between Milan and neighboring regions, especially the area of present-day Canton Ticino, which at the time was an integral part of Milan’s sphere of influence and where several prominent interpreters of the Lombard Renaissance were active. 
The course aims to provide critical and methodological tools for interpreting artworks within their historical, social, and cultural contexts, enhancing the understanding of Milan’s role as one of the most dynamic centers of the Italian Renaissance.

To know the figurative and architectural culture of the territories of the State of Milan in the 15th and early 16th century and to know how to recognise the main peculiarities also in relation to the contemporary European artistic production.

In presence

Lectures

Oral during the exam session.
Specific bibliographical references will be indicated at the beginning of the course.