Department of French & Italian Student-Faculty Forum Series presents
“Chance Images” in Early Modern Art
and Literature
by Marco Arnaudo
Monday, November 17,
2008
2:30-3:30 pm
Ballantine Hall 244
ABSTRACT: Since ancient times thinkers and writers have been intrigued by images appearing 'by chance' in clouds, rocks, trees, and other natural elements. In early modern Europe,
starting from Alberti's De statua, these images became an increasingly popular subject for pictorial and literary representation as well as for philosophical debate. This talk
discusses several cases of painters who inserted 'chance images' in their landscapes, and analyzes examples of writers who raised such questions as: are these images 'produced' by
nature, or is it the human mind that projects them onto brute matter? Do these images have artistic value per se and/or when they are reproduced in painting? What are the religious
and philosophical implications that can be seen in them? Examples will include Alberti, Leonardo, Vasari, Sidney, Bruno, Tesauro, Kircher, and others.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Marco Arnaudo (PhD Harvard) is Assistant Professor of Italian in the Department of French and Italian. His research and teaching interests focus on Italian culture of the Baroque period, with a particular attention to the connections between art and literature. His first book analyzes the influence of optical illusions on 17th-century Italian culture. He is also interested in contemporary popular culture, especially detective stories, spy stories, and comic books - about which he has written several articles and contributed chapters to collective books.
This presentation will be in English, to be followed by discussion and refreshments.
If you have a disability and need assistance, accommodations can be made to address most needs. Please call 855-5458.
