A lecture by Elaine Ruffolo
Renaissance feasts were far more than meals—they were grand spectacles of power, wealth, and community. They reflected the spirit of an age obsessed with beauty, hierarchy, and expression, turning the act of eating into a deeply symbolic and theatrical experience. In the Renaissance, food was more than sustenance—it served as a language of meaning. Certain dishes symbolized abundance, fertility, or religious devotion, while others served as displays of power and prestige. The rituals surrounding a feast, such as the order of service and seating arrangements, reinforced the social hierarchy, demonstrating how food became an extension of societal structure.
Art historian Elaine Ruffolo delves into images of lavish banquets to explore their menus, ingredients, preparation, dining practices, and table settings, as well as the intricate depiction of food in the period’s art.
If you are in Florence and would like to attend the lecture in person at the British Institute Library, please register here or send an email to bif@britishinstitute.it
The registration fee is 15 Euro per person.
To join this lecture online, simply click on this link to register and receive the Zoom meeting invitation: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMlc-yuqz8oGNNeMi4jSOT_t8HLAvWxAH2x. The virtual doors will open at 18:00 Italian time on Wednesday 11th December.
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This lecture is sponsored by Gwen Kuber