The Rivalry between Leonardo and Michelangelo, five hundred years after Michelangelo's birth. Monday 22nd September 2025

While Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) and Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475- 1564) are two of the most familiar figures in Italian Renaissance art, the rivalry and antipathy that existed between them remains a story without an author. This lecture throws light on these themes using select examples of their works which, it is argued, hold the key to understanding the motivations for their animosity. Particular emphasis is given to the commission bestowed upon them to undertake frescoes for the great council chamber in Florence. Though unfinished, the surviving designs placed Leonardo and Michelangelo in direct competition with one another, as well as indicating their differing artistic approaches. 

Dr. James Lindow was awarded the first Renaissance PhD from the Royal College of Art and the V&A. He has convened and presented at international conferences, lectures widely in the UK and overseas and is currently a fine art underwriter in the City. He has written articles on diverse aspects of the Renaissance, and his book entitled The Renaissance Palace in Florence: Magnificence and Splendour in Fifteenth-Century Italy was published by Ashgate Press.

This talk starts at 7:30pm on Monday 22nd September at St Barnabas Church Hall, Pitshanger Lane, Ealing W5 1QG.

Doors open at 6:45pm, and lecture starts at 7:30pm.

Visitors are welcome to attend at £10 per lecture (£3 for students); payment can be made by card on the evening.