.jpg)
In fifteenth-century Italy, purportedly immoral artworks and craft objects were burned in public bonfires. These burnings were initiated and orchestrated by Franciscan and Dominican folk preachers such as Bernardino da Siena and Girolamo Savonarola, who sought to purge society of material manifestations of sin.
Among the objects consumed by flames were mirrors, playing cards, and paintings depicting the naked human body and ancient mythological themes. In this talk, the quattrocento phenomenon of the so-called Bonfires of the Vanities will be introduced and explored in greater depth.
About the lecturer
Martin Romatowski is a Swedish art historian with an interest in religious art, architecture, and spaces in the Late Medieval Period and Early Renaissance, in particular on the Italian peninsula. He holds an MA in Art History from Stockholm University and is currently a Doctoral Research Fellow in Art History at the University of Oslo. During the academic year 2025-2026, he will be conducting his research at the Norwegian Institute in Rome.
Interested in attending?
Please register, preferably the day before the lecture: https://nettskjema.no/a/romeseminar