Paintings, drawings and engravings of tulips: the story of a floral frenzy in 17th-century Europe

CYCLE: The lives of artworks: stories, places, journeys, secrets and appropriations. 
SPEAKER: Lucia Tongiorgi Tomasi
DATE: Tuesday, October 14, 6:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Largo di Villa Peretti 2 

Through an examination of numerous paintings and engravings by renowned artists (including Rembrandt, Rubens, and Ribera), this lecture will explore the phenomenon of "tulipomania," also known as "tulip fever." This "bubble" spread throughout 17th-century Europe, significantly impacting contemporary social and cultural life. The phenomenon, which originated in the Netherlands (where the tulip, a recent arrival from the East, had become an economic sensation), was a source of widespread speculative mania that also influenced other countries. It provided artists, botanists, travelers, writers, and thinkers with a rich source of inspiration and reflection.

Lucia Tongiorgi Tomasi, a former full professor at the University of Pisa, is an art historian and a member of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Her work focuses on artistic production from the 16th to 18th centuries, with a particular emphasis on the relationship between art and science, the history of gardens, still-life painting, and European graphic art. She has organized exhibitions and conferences on these topics in Italy, Europe, and the United States, where she has also taught numerous courses and lectures.

Free admission subject to availability.
Reservations at the following link.