A lecture by Alan Pascuzzi
Lapis lazuli blue is by far the most enchanting and breathtaking colour on the artist's palette. From antiquity to the present day the most expensive and most precious of all pigments artists can use has been lapis lazuli blue. In the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, lapis lazuli blue was referred to as, 'illustrious, beautiful and most perfect, beyond all other colours,' and utilised by Giotto, Fra Angelico and Michelangelo to enhance their most famous works. Why is this blue colour so mesmerising and magical to be called the 'stone from heaven?'
This talk will explore all aspects of lapis lazuli including its history, how it was used and, in particular, reveal the centuries-old technique of transforming the lapis lazuli stone to a pigment artists called, 'divine blue.'
If you are in Florence and would like to attend the lecture in person at the British Institute Library, please register here or send an email to bif@britishinstitute.it. The registration fee is 12 Euro per person.
To join this lecture online, simply click on this link to register and receive the Zoom meeting invitation: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIuf-yrrzMqGtFVB4HEa_vFfi_4c4UMf4lv. The virtual doors will open at 18:00 Italian time on Wednesday 21st February.
A recording of the virtual lecture will be published on our YouTube channel. Clicking on the link above, you authorise the British Institute of Florence to use your image, name and comments.
There is no charge to attend the event on Zoom, but we ask you to consider making a donation to support the Institute and its beautiful library if you wish to attend an event.
This lecture is sponsored by Penny Howard