Dr. Laurinda Dixon

Traveling to Italy in search of art and architecture is a great adventure. Here travelers can still experience art in situ – that is, where and how it was intended to be seen, rather than hanging isolated on museum walls. Much of Italy’s Renaissance heritage has been lovingly preserved, but regrettably, the same is not true of northern Europe. There is very little Netherlandish art (ca.1400-1500) left to tell the tale of the notorious extravagance and unlimited wealth of the patrons who dominated the era. Historians estimate that only about 2.5% has escaped the ravages of history. The Hundred-Years War lasted into the 15th century, followed by peasant rebellions in the wake of the Protestant Reformation, when roving bands of iconoclasts vandalized and destroyed anything associated with Catholicism. Then came the Napoleonic wars, which sought to eliminate any vestiges of the old ruling class, and several Euro-Russian wars (of which the current Ukrainian conflict is but the most recent). The 20th century brought two devastating mechanized World Wars, fought mainly on European soil. Early in the century, entire art collections went up for sale and were quickly acquired by such gilded-age American tycoons as Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and Henry Clay Frick. In the wake of World War 2, affluent U.S. collectors continued to secure treasures from impoverished, war-torn countries. Europe’s tragic loss was America’s gain, enriching museum holdings throughout the country. This webinar guides us on an art-historical road trip to discover iconic Northern Renaissance works in our own back yard. The journey begins in Cleveland, continues east to New York City, south to Philadelphia, and winds up in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. No vaccinations or passports required!