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Forging the Renaissance

Episode 8 of 10

Back in Florence, Cellini works for Cosimo de’ Medici. He creates his greatest work, a huge bronze statue of Perseus beheading Medusa.

Jerry Brotton is Professor of Renaissance Studies at Queen Mary University of London and wants us to take a fresh look at a period in European history usually associated with beauty, harmony and art. His approach contains a health warning: the Renaissance was a lot darker and violent than many of us have imagined. Retracing the life of Benvenuto Cellini through his shocking autobiography, Jerry reveals how this was a time of conflict as well as beauty, creativity as well as tyranny.

Back in Florence, Cellini works for Cosimo de’ Medici. He makes his greatest work, a huge bronze statue of Perseus beheading Medusa. It becomes a defining image of the Renaissance and cements Cellini’s reputation.

Reader Marco Gambino

Producer Mark Rickards

A Whistledown Scotland Production

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14 minutes

Last on

Wed 2 Aug 2023 22:45

Broadcasts

  • Wed 31 Mar 2021 22:45
  • Wed 2 Aug 2023 22:45

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