Not Just the Tudors Fig Leaves & A Grumpy Jesus: Renaissance to Baroque Art
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Oct 2, 2025 Join Verity Babbs, an art historian and comedian known for her engaging approach to art history, as she dives into the quirks of Renaissance and Baroque art. Discover why the Virgin Mary often sports blue robes, how baby Jesus sometimes resembles a tiny grumpy old man, and the secrets behind iconic artworks like the Arnolfini Portrait. Verity also sheds light on the sensational personalities of artists like Caravaggio and the impact of patronage on artistic expression. A delightful blend of humor and insight awaits!
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How Tintoretto Got His Name
- Verity shares that Tintoretto's nickname comes from his father being a dyer, making Tintoretto 'the little dyer.'
- She also prefers his other nickname, Il Furioso, which better suits his energetic style.
What 'Renaissance' Really Means
- Renaissance means 'rebirth' and the term was applied retrospectively to describe a cultural return to antiquity.
- Verity Babbs highlights it as a broad economic, political and artistic restructuring after the Middle Ages.
Art Needs Patrons And Guilds
- Powerful patrons and guilds enabled artists by funding commissions and training apprentices.
- Babbs stresses families like the Medici bankrolled projects that shaped Florence and Rome's artistic legacy.
