The Renaissance in Florence & Tuscany 15 SEP – 29 SEP 2015 Code: 21526 Tour Leaders Em. Prof Bernard Hoffert Physical Ratings A detailed study of the Italian Renaissance based in Florence, Siena & Lucca - combining major art museums such as the Uffizi with lesser-known masterpieces, private villas & gardens. Overview Tour Highlights This tour is limited to 20 participants Travel with Emeritus Professor Bernard Hoffert, an art historian and artist, former World President of the International Association of Art-UNESCO, and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Art Design and Architecture at Monash University. Bernard established the programs in art and design at Monash’s Centre in Prato, Italy. Begin with welcome drinks at Palazzo Corsini al Prato. Visit the Uffizi Gallery and walk the Vasari Corridor, installed for Cosimo De Medici. Explore the lesser known Tuscan communes of Pienza, Montepulciano, Volterra, Prato and Pistoia - crucial centres of Medieval and Renaissance art. Stay in the glorious walled city of Lucca, with its magnificent Romanesque churches and streetscape still defined by its Roman plan. In Florence, visit the Dominican Pharmacy, active since the thirteenth century in the production of perfumes and medications. Travel the Piero trail viewing his masterpieces in Arezzo, Sansepolcro and Madonna del Parto in Monterchi. Explore the life of the Medici family, their patronage, their influence, the culture of their court, their villas with their rolling gardens and rich interiors. Gain special access to private palaces and villas including Villa Medicea 'Ambra', Palazzo Piccolomini, Palazzo Pfanner and the upper apartments at the Palazzo Davanzatti house museum. Visit by special appointment some of the most beautiful historic gardens in Tuscany including Villa Gamberaia, Villa Medici in Fiesole, Villa Capponi, and Villa La Foce home of Iris Origo, author of the famous Merchant of Prato. View the wonderful series of 13th-century frescoes in the uncovered crypt of Siena's Cathedral Enjoy lunch and wine-tasting at the historic Tuscan Villa Vignamaggio and its gardens. Enjoy a concert of works by Lucca's greatest composer, Giacomo Puccini. Visit some of the lesser known masterpieces of the Renaissance including: The recently restored Lippi frescoes in Prato's cathedral, masterpieces of Renaissance painting Benozzo Gozzoli's jewel-like frescoes in the Chapel of the Magi The Romanesque church of San Miniato al Monte with work by Della Robbia and Michelozzo Rosso Fiorentino's moving Deposition from the Cross in Volterra Frescoes by Andrea di Bonaiuto in The Spanish Chapel of Santa Maria Novella Beatta Angelico's master paintings in the Monastery of San Marco Pontormo's famous Annunciation in the church of San Michele, Carmignano Giuliano da Sangallo's Church of Santa Maria delle Carceri, one of the few masterpieces of Renaissance architecture to remain complete. 15 DAYS IN ITALY Overnight Florence (8 nights) • Siena (3 nights) • Lucca (3 nights) Overview Immerse yourself in the history of the profoundly important and spectacularly creative Italian Renaissance on this tour designed for both first-time visitors and those already familiar with the main sites. Enjoy visits to a number of places privately owned or not easy to access. We explore in depth Italy's greatest Renaissance city, Florence, and travel through the timeless Tuscan landscape to lovely smaller cities including Arezzo, Pistoia, Prato, Pienza, Volterra, the small papal city of Montepulciano, and brilliant Siena - Florence's major artistic rival. Wealthy Florentine families like the Medici, Rucellai and Strozzi patronised Masaccio, Donatello, Verrochio, Botticelli, Leonardo and Michelangelo whose masterpieces expressed twin ideals of naturalism and the revival of antiquity. In Florence we not only visit the better-known monuments and museums but also walk through Vasari's famous Corridor running across the Ponte Vecchio from the Uffizi to the Pitti Palace; view Benozzo Gozzoli's wonderful paintings of the Journey of the Magi in the Palazzo Medici- Riccardi; discover Fra Angelico's deeply spiritual images in the monastery of San Marco; and visit a Dominican pharmacy active since the 13th century. We'll decipher Ambrogio Lorenzetti's and Simone Martini's unsurpassed images of medieval political philosophy in Siena's Palazzo Pubblico; and explore Piero della Francesca's masterpieces, pivotal stepping stones to the High Renaissance, in Arezzo, Monterchi and Sansepolcro. In Prato we view Filippo Lippi's recently restored fresco cycle and examine Pontormo's famous Annunciation in the church of San Michele, Carmignano. In Pisa, Pistoia and Siena we discover the sublime sculptures of the Pisani family. By special appointment we visit the Villa Corsini al Prato's garden and palazzo; Villa Capponi, where the Queen Mother holidayed; Renaissance Villa Vignamaggio, offering a delicious Tuscan lunch and wine-tasting; and the gardens of Villa La Foce, lovingly restored by Iris Origo, author of the famous Merchant of Prato. We'll amble through the Medici family's lovely garden in Fiesole and explore the rich interior of Lorenzo de' Medici's country retreat at Poggio a Ciano. The tour ends in the glorious walled city of Lucca, with its magnificent Romanesque churches and streetscape still defined by its Roman plan. Here we'll enjoy a concert of The Renaissance in Florence & Tuscany August 2014 Page 2 works by the city's greatest composer, Giacomo Puccini. The Renaissance in Florence & Tuscany August 2014 Page 3 Leaders Em. Prof Bernard Hoffert Art historian & artist, former World President of International Assoc. of Art-UNESCO, Assoc. Dean, Monash University. Established Monash art & design programs in Prato, Italy. Bernard Hoffert is Emeritus Professor in the Faculty of Art Design & Architecture at Monash University. He was formally Associate Dean in the Faculty of Art and Design, with responsibility for the Faculty's Higher Degree by Research program and the Faculty's International and External profile. He headed five departments while at Monash including the art school. He was the World President of the International Association of Art-UNESCO (1992-95) and remains an Honourary President; he has been Honorary President of the Asia-Pacific Regional Council of the International Association of Art- UNESCO and has continued involvement with UNESCO through the International Society for Education through Art (InSEA). He has been a member of the Global Advisory Board of the Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies Network, Columbia University since 2006 and a member of their Research Committee. He was Vice President of the Academic Board of Monash University (2008-2010). He has been a member of the Review Boards of the Art Education Research Journal, Melbourne University (2004-12), the Art Education Australia Research Journal (2004-12), and a member of the Monash Asia Institute Publication Board (MUP) from 2001-11. He has been a member of the Executive Committees of the Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools (ACUADS) and Art Education Australia (AEA), and coordinated AEA's research development. He has also contributed to standing committees of Art Education Victoria and the National Association of the Visual Arts. Bernard first joined ASA in 1981, and is ASA's second longest standing group leader/lecturer. He has led over 50 tours to Europe, including programs to Italy, France, Spain, Eastern Europe and the United Kingdom. He has led ASA tours to most regions of Italy, including Lombardy, the Veneto, Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio (Rome) and Sicily, and has a deep knowledge of the rhythms of Italian art history and Italy's profound contribution to the Western tradition. Bernard has nurtured ASA's long and fruitful relationship with Monash University, and has played a key role in the great success of Monash University's Centre in Prato, near Florence; ASA assisted Monash in developing this centre and Bernard established the flourishing Monash Art and Design undergraduate and research programs at Prato. Bernard also has a long involvement with India and has travelled extensively from the Himalayas in the north to the southern most tip of the subcontinent. He wrote the section on India in the 1987 edition of Art and Diversity (Longman) and has exhibited his paintings and presented his poetry at the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society Gallery in Delhi; his paintings are in several Indian collections. He has participated in art symposia and conferences in India and has lectured at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. His research has been published in the Indian journal Design Plus and his research on craft revival in India has been published by UNESCO and the Network of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies. He contributed a chapter to the Indian text, Design Education: Tradition and Modernity, published late 2007. Combine this tour with La Serenissima: Venice, ‘Jewel of the Adriatic’ 9 OCT – 23 OCT 2014 Prague, Dresden & Berlin including the small towns of Bohemia 28 AUG – 13 SEP 2015 The Wine Dark Sea: Southern Italy, Sicily & the Aeolian Islands 30 SEP – 22 OCT 2015 The Renaissance in Florence & Tuscany August 2014 Page 4 Itinerary The following itinerary describes a range of museums, villas and palaces which we plan to visit. Many are accessible to the public, but others require special permission which may only be confirmed closer to the tour's departure in 2015. The daily activities described in this itinerary may change or be rotated and/or modified in order to accommodate alterations in opening hours, flight schedules and confirmation of private visits. Participants will receive a final itinerary together with their tour documents prior to departure. The tour includes breakfast daily, lunches & evening meals indicated in the detailed itinerary where: B=breakfast, L=lunch and D=evening meals. Florence - 8 nights Day 1: Tuesday 15 September, Arrive Florence Afternoon at Leisure Introductory Meeting Giardino Corsini al Prato: Guided tour of the gardens, palazzo & refreshments (by special appointment) Welcome On arrival at Florence’s airport, those taking the ASA ‘designated’ flight transfer by private coach to their hotel in Florence.