Van Dyck in Rome and Sicily

In 1621 Van Dyck made his way to Italy to study the art of the past as well as that of his contemporaries which was to be crucial for his later career.

This course will provide a background and context to Van Dyck’s time in Rome and Sicily. Rome, in the early seventeenth century, was in many respects a symbol of splendour with its sense of renewal, its vibrant artistic circles and its religious and secular patronage. It was a magnet for both Italian and foreign artists such as the Carracci, Caravaggio, Rubens and Elsheimer and it was in this cosmopolitan atmosphere that a revolution in style took place later to be called the Baroque.

The Birth of the Baroque; Saints and Sinners in Early Seventeenth-Century Roman Art
Helen Langdon

“In majorem Dei et Ecclesiae gloriam”: Rome and the Church’s Renewal
Lynda Stephens

“To every syllable a note”: Music and the Counter Reformation
Roderick Swanston

The Triumph of Rome: Rubens in Italy 1600-1608
Professor David Howarth, History of Art, University of Edinburgh

Van Dyck in Rome: The Education of an Artist
Dr Beverly Louise Brown, Independent Scholar

“First the Words..” :The Supremacy of Words over Music in late sixteenth Century Madrigals and Early Seventeenth Century Vocal Music
Roderick Swanston

Plague, Piety and Palace
Dr Helena Hammond, Senior Lecturer, University of Roehampton

Van Dyck in Sicily: An Introduction
Dr Xavier Bray, Arturo and Holly Melosi Chief Curator, Dulwich Picture

Visit to the exhibition “Van Dyck in Sicily: Painting and the Plague 1624-25” at Dulwich Picture Gallery

Sarah Bowles

The cost of the full course is £225. The cost of the morning lectures only (lunch not included) is £120. The lectures will take place at The Medical Society of London, Lettsom House, 11 Chandos Street, Cavendish Square, London W1. Each day will begin at 10.30am and finish at about 3.30pm.

To apply, please contact us.