Exploring Art in Florence

Study art history in Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. Whether you’ve studied art history before or not, Exploring Art in Italy gives you the tools you need to enjoy Italian art and culture. This program is designed for any student interested in Art, Architecture, History, Italian Culture or Museum Studies. You will take 2 courses on this 6-week long program. No previous Italian language experience is necessary. You will gain a new appreciation for its art once you live in the city and experience the food, window dressing displays, fashion, and all Florence has to offer. The city of Florence becomes your classroom during this program. You will read about these revolutionary artists and their masterpieces. You will then go to see their artwork and analyze their techniques. This program is the perfect place for students to explore the art of the Renaissance highlighting innovators such as Giotto, Masaccio, Botticelli, Leonardo, and Michelangelo.

The city of Florence and hills of Tuscany becomes your classroom during this program. The program includes several required excursions including - Siena and San Gimignano, Rome, and Pisa. Students also have the opportunity to interact with the local community and immerse themselves in optional cultural activities through the CEA CAPA My Global City program. CEA CAPA-led events include a walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo for stunning views over the city of Florence and a hike in the nearby hills, followed by dinner in one of the best pizzerias in town. Other activities, often self-guided, reflect what’s going on in the city at the time and may include a walking tour to the most important markets of Florence, tasting typical Italian snacks, a night at the opera, or attending soccer match at the Florence Stadium.

This program runs concurrently with the regular Pitt in Florence Summer program.

What You'll Accomplish:

As an engaged and active participant in this program, you will have the opportunity to develop:

An understanding of Renaissance art and local cultures in Florence
Skills to identify and articulate the influence of contemporary philosophy and history on art
Sharp critical visual skills by studying the techniques of masterpieces in person
Explore oil paint as a medium

Florence, Italy is the capital city of the Firenze province and Tuscany region. It is surrounded by the picturesque rolling hills of Tuscany. Florence is a majestic city that is visually stunning, culturally rich and has a storied past. Florence was founded as a Roman Military colony around the 1st Century BC. The city’s population began to grow due to its location in the fertile, farmable hills. Its location also was perfect for economic development in the region.

Florence became a haven for an ever-growing immigrant population that still exists today. Florence has its strong Italian roots but is also very much a multi-cultural city. Due to the growing economy and influx of immigrants it became the perfect location for merchants and artists. This in part, led to the Renaissance period in the 14th to 16th centuries. Many of the most influential artists of that time period flocked to the city to work on their art including Michelangelo, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio and Leonardo da Vinci. They left behind masterpieces in the forms of frescoes, sculptures, paintings and architecture that are still visible throughout the city today Despite its pivotal role in the history of civilization and its significance as an artistic and cultural center, Florence retains the bustle and charm of a small town in a bygone age. Ancient, medieval, renaissance, cosmopolitan, yet with all modern conveniences, Florence, perhaps more than any other city, is a tapestry displaying Europe's emergence from the Dark Ages through to the 21st century.

Where You'll Live:

You will live like a Florentine during your program abroad. Housing placements are scattered throughout the city-center and location depends on availability and housing option. Exact addresses are provided closer to departure. Regardless of the option you choose, nothing is ever far from you in Florence. The city is geographically very flat, pedestrian friendly, and walkable. Remember, though, that it is a very old city - expect uneven roads/sidewalks and lots and lots of cobblestone. Like the streets of Florence, no two apartments on the Exploring Art in Florence program are alike in terms of design, but all will give you a comfortable place to call home in Italy. Most apartments are located within an hour commute to the CAPA Center, either on foot or by bus. Apartments are still within what is considered the city-center.

Shared bedrooms (typically 2 students/bedroom
There are typically up to six students in each apartment
A fully equipped kitchen
En-suite bathroom (generally 1 bathroom per 2 students)
Washing machine(s) in the building or apartment (Italian apartments typically do not have dryers).
Meals aren’t included, so plan on learning to cook with local ingredients or budget money to eat out.\

We do our best to provide the most accurate information about housing and amenities but due to the nature of the locations in which we offer programs and limited availability, these items are subject to change. Contact your program manager with any questions.

Florence can be very warm in the summer. A/C is not common and, if/when available, is regulated.

There is no local transportation pass included in this program, but a bus pass can be purchased locally if desired.

Because this program runs concurrently with the regular Pitt in Florence Summer program, students may make housing requests to live together. Roommate/housing requests cannot be guaranteed.

What You'll Study:

You'll earn a total of 6.0 credits on the Exploring Art in Florence program. Everyone who participates on the program will take the same two courses. The courses will be taught in English and will be comprised of lectures, guest speakers, city tours, cultural activities and visits to museums, churches, palaces and town halls as well as excursions out of town. The Italian Renaissance course is taught by Pitt Greensburg art history professor, Dr. Amber McAlister. The studio arts painting course will be taught by a local CEA CAPA faculty.

FOR GREENSBURG STUDENTS: HAA 0306 can satisfy one of the following General Education areas: Artistic Traditions (AT), World Perspectives (WP), or General Humanities (HUM).

FOR OAKLAND A&S STUDENTS: SA 0120 satisfies Creative Work. HAA 0306 is being submitted for gen ed approval and, if approved, students may work retroactively with their academic department.

If you are seeking to count these courses towards a major, minor or certificate, please meet with your academic advisor to discuss this program and what the courses will fulfill for you.

You should anticipate being in class, whether in the classroom or on-site, Monday through Friday. Although the itinerary is still under development, please also plan to be involved in program-related travel on some weekends and/or evenings.

There are no course pre-requisites.

Renaissance Art in Florence (Exploring Art program) (HAA0306)

Florence, the regional capital of Tuscany, is located in central Italy and is considered by many the birthplace of the Renaissance. This course will explore the art of the Renaissance highlighting innovators Giotto, Masaccio, Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael with on-site lectures and visits in Florence, Rome, and Milan. Special attention will be given to the context of art and its relationship to its original location, and to the role and influence of humanism and Neoplatonism on the development of the style of the Renaissance.

Syllabus:

Download HAA0306_ExploringArtItaly_BriefSyllabus_SU2024_v2.docx (73.63 KB)

Foundation Painting (SA0120)

Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Creative Work General Education Requirement

Investigate concepts of color, form, line, composition, volume, space, and the use of oil paint as a medium. Beginning or intermediate levels accepted. This course is structured to introduce oil painting starting from the basic techniques and introducing new approaches and ideas. Students should take advantage of open studio hours to complete their assignments. At the beginning of each new topic and project students will be asked to list the techniques acquired in the previous lessons before moving on to a new exercise. Students will be expected to complete at least 4 paintings to successfully complete the course in addition to completing the weekly assignments.

Syllabus:

Download SA 0120 Draft Syllabus.pdf (142.87 KB)

The University of Pittsburgh partners with CEA CAPA Education Abroad for this program. CEA CAPA works with institutions of higher education to build programs that meet their goals for learning abroad, and offers study abroad and internship programs in destinations around the globe. CEA CAPA focuses on academic offerings, support frameworks, and oversight structures for students and visiting faculty.

The CEA CAPA Florence Center is housed in three buildings in the heart of Florence, including in Palazzo Galli-Tassi, a 15th century palace. The CEA CAPA Florence team is available throughout your program to assist and support you 24/7 with any urgent situations.

Your Pitt Study Abroad Contacts:

Lauren Perri

Hi! I'm Lauren, Program Manager for Arts & Sciences students. As an undergraduate student, I studied abroad in Marburg, Germany. Since then, my career in international education has taken me to many locations around the world. Particularly, I have an affinity for Florence, Italy. There is nothing quite like the challenge of navigating a new city, country, and culture! Let's chat about global experiences.

E-mail:

lap140@pitt.edu

Schedule an appointment

Schedule an appointment with me using Pathways!

Don't see a time that works for you? Just send me an email at lap140@pitt.edu

Your In-Country Contacts:

Dr. Amber McAlister

Amber McAlister is Assistant Professor of the History of Art & Architecture at the Greensburg campus. Her specialty is the Italian Renaissance and her research interests include miracle-working images of the Virgin Mary & Christ, eco-critical approaches, and technical art history (the materials and techniques of art-making and conservation). She caught the travel bug on a month-long school trip through Europe in high school, and studied art history abroad as an undergraduate in Paris. The highlight of her travels is undoubtedly leading students and colleagues on a trip to Egypt! Dr. McAlister has lived in, researched, and taught study abroad in Italy for a combined total of over 2 years, and counting! Her regular teaching schedule consists of introductory surveys of art history, courses on Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque art, as well as specialized courses on Women Artists, Italian Art & the Black Death, and the science of artist’s materials.

Items Billed by Pitt
	In-State	Out-of-State
Program Fee	$8,599.00	$8,799.00
GEO Admin Fee	$300.00	$300.00
Total Billed by Pitt	$8,899.00	$9,099.00

Estimated Additional Out-of-Pocket Costs
Airfare		$1,700
Meals and Personal Expenses		$2,000
Local transportation pass		$65
Art Supplies for SA 0120 class		$100

Remember that your lifestyle and spending choices can greatly affect the amount of money you'll need while abroad. Visit our Budgeting page for more information.

This program does not include a local transportation pass. However, bus passes can be purchased locally if desired.

What's Included:

As a part of your Exploring Art in Florence program fee, the following are included:

Tuition for 6 credits
Shared accommodations throughout the program
Day trip excursion to San Gimignano and Siena
Class-related cultural site visits/museum entrances/tours/excursions (Pisa + overnight in Rome)
My Global City events/activities (examples from the past have included: a gelato tour around the city, a boat ride on the Arno, a cooking class, and more!)
On-site transportation
International travel health insurance

Not included are materials that will be required for the Oil Painting class. You do not need to pre-purchase these items. Instead, you should budget for them and your professor will provide suggestions for where to purchase in class.

When You'll Go:

This 6 week program will run generally from mid-May to the end of June/early July. This program runs concurrently to the Pitt in Florence Summer program. Exact dates can be found in the program sidebar.

What Else You Need to Know:

Florence is warm in the summer. Please prepare yourself that A/C is not as common and, if available, is regulated.

This program runs concurrently to the Pitt in Florence Summer program. If you have friends or peers attending that program, you can still request them as roommates via the CEA CAPA housing preference survey post-acceptance.

Your days will be busy on this program. It is an intense academic experience. Your free time in the evenings and on the weekends will be limited. For students wishing to do independent travel, you should plan to do so after the program ends.

Students of all majors/campuses are welcome to apply.