Renaissance Lives – ‘Domenico Ghirlandaio: An Elite Artisan and his World’

26th January, 2026

Thursday 18 June 2026

5.30pm – 7pm

Register to attend

Jean K. Cadogan (Trinity College, Hartford) in conversation with Maria DePrano (University of California at Merced)

Domenico Ghirlandaio (1448–94) was a master of Renaissance art, celebrated for his vivid frescoes and detailed portraits. Teacher to Michelangelo and admired by Lorenzo de’ Medici, Ghirlandaio’s work reflects the vibrant artistic culture of fifteenth-century Florence. This book examines Ghirlandaio’s career in the context of the craft traditions, guilds, and workshops that shaped his art. It also analyses his famous works, such as the Santa Maria Novella frescoes and the portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni, revealing the creative and technical processes behind them. By uncovering the social and cultural influences on Ghirlandaio’s art—including family ties and religious affiliations—the book offers a rich portrait of an artist whose work continues to inspire today.

Renaissance Lives is a series of biographies published by Reaktion Books as well as a series of conversations discussing the ways in which individuals transmitted or changed the lives of traditions, ideas and images.
ATTENDANCE FREE WITH ADVANCE BOOKING