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History
History is the foundation that makes everything else make sense. These essays cover the political, social, and urban histories that explain why art looks the way it does, why cities developed as they did, and why the decisions made by medieval and Renaissance rulers still echo in the places we visit. From Roman Florence to the mendicant friars of Edinburgh, the goal is always the same: to understand what actually happened, and why it matters.
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The Very Rich Hours of the duke of Berry, Part 4: April & May Pages
The April and May pages illustrate the lives of medieval nobility, highlighting a betrothal and May Day festivities. Marriage served…
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The Very Rich Hours of the duke of Berry, Part 3: March Page
The March page illustrates a peasant scene with Château de Lusignan, highlighting the duke of Berry’s influence. Peasants prepare land…
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The Very Rich Hours of the duke of Berry, Part 2: February Page
The February page of Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry presents a peasant scene contrasting with January’s depiction.…
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The Very Rich Hours of the duke of Berry, Part 1: January Page
The January page of Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry illustrates the duke at an extravagant Epiphany feast,…
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The Very Rich Hours of the duke of Berry, Part 0: Key Background
Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry is a 15th-century illuminated manuscript, significant for its artistic beauty and insights…
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Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, part 2: Who were the Mendicants?
The painting’s significance is tied to Leonardo da Vinci’s pursuit of illusionism and its historical placement in the Dominican convent…
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Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, part 1: Let’s Rethink This Piece. Pretty Please.
This essay examines Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, highlighting its significance in popular culture and art history. It criticises superficial…
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Medieval Burial Practices and the Concept of Purgatory
Caroline Bruzelius’s research reveals that the design of medieval churches was influenced by burial practices and theological beliefs, particularly the…
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The Mendicant Orders in Edinburgh
Who Were the Mendicant Orders? The Mendicant orders spread from southern Europe north of the Alps and spread in popularity…
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History of Florence, Part 4: Savonarola and the Late Renaissance
The final essay examines the unstable final decades of Florentine republican life. It follows the decline of Medici prestige, the…
For people who want to understand history, not just know it.
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