Loughran O’Connor will be instructing one of our Active Mind courses this spring: Leonardo and Michelangelo: Giants of the Renaissance.
We asked O’Connor what fascinates her most about the artists she will be focusing on during the spring semester, and this was her reply:
MICHELANGELO
How could one man from an illiterate family of stonecutters create such massive marble sculpture and heroic architecture? His original commission for the Sistine Chapel frescoes was modest, but he gave us visions of heaven and hell, surrounded by creation, biblical prophets and the underworld… unlike any made before or since.
LEONARDO DA VINCI
Leonardo's career as a designer and engineer was secondary to his commissions for portraits of nobility. He was called the greatest draughtsman of his time and has been an inspiration for artists ever since. He was also an inventor and musician. Most fascinating to me is his "Sfumato" (veiled) technique in painting, which has never met its equal in mysterious subtlety. We are still decoding many of the symbols that he placed within his paintings. They are secret gifts for generations to come.
