Augustine, the Hermit Friar in Italian Art

Talk for Today

A 45 minute talk to discover Augustine of Hippo's wisdom and Augustinian spirituality.

Augustine, the Hermit Friar in Italian Art

During the middle ages, there were some basic ways in which to depict St Augustine. In this illustrated talk we will discover how, in the fourteenth century, the newly formed Order of Augustinian friars reshaped Augustine's traditional look and stories from his life to claim direct descent from the saint, to educate new brethren, and to bring unity to an increasingly divided community.

The Speaker

Louise Bourdua is Professor in the History of Art at the University of Warwick. She holds a BA degree from McGill University, a Master’s in Medieval Studies from Westfield College (London), and a PhD from Warwick. She has held visiting fellowships at the British School at Rome,The Harvard University Center for Renaissance Studies in Florence, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington. Her books focus on the production of art by and for religious orders during the later Middle Ages (including that of the Augustinian Friars), and in particular the friars' use of painting and sculpture as propaganda.