‘Of glorious and generous fame’: The lasting influence of Francesco Petrarca
A lecture by Alexandra Lawrence
A 14th-century poet and man of letters, Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) is often referred to as the ‘Father of Humanism’. Through constant travel and rigorously maintained epistolary relationships, Petrarch cultivated a huge circle of friends that included fellow poets, contemporary artists, and some of the most powerful members of Trecento society. A travel writer, ancient manuscript hunter, and self-promoter extraordinaire, Petrarch inspired countless future generations and his work anticipated many themes of the Renaissance, including a sensitivity to nature, the desire for earthly fame, and a close rapport with classical literature. This lecture will explore these themes and more as we attempt to get to know this self-described ‘modern man’ and his extraordinary impact on Italian culture.
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. All participants are invited to wear a mask throughout the event.
To join this lecture online, simply click on this link to register and receive the Zoom meeting invitation: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtdu6grzojHNO_0nQC61aygdf0yRyCqpCy
The virtual doors will open at 18:00 Italian time on Wednesday 24th January.
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.