27 October @ 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Bassam Freiha Art Foundation launched its new monthly lecture series, The Story of Art, with “The Awakening of Color: Renaissance Art” presented by Dr. Michaela Watrelot. This inaugural session introduced audiences to the Renaissance as a pivotal moment of artistic rebirth, intellectual curiosity, and renewed engagement with classical ideals.
The lecture traced how art evolved from the early experiments of Giotto to the visionary achievements of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael, revealing how artists came to view painting as a means of exploring human thought and perception. The session also reflected on the broader cultural networks that shaped the Renaissance, highlighting its connections with the Islamic world and its lasting influence on global artistic dialogue.
Gathering art enthusiasts, students, and members of the cultural community, the event marked the beginning of an inspiring educational journey through the history of art, one that will continue monthly, exploring key movements that have shaped artistic expression across centuries.
Dr. Michaela Watrelot is a curator, educator, and author with a PhD in History of Art from Charles University in Prague. At Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, she leads exhibition planning, education, and strategic partnerships. Her expertise spans 19th- and 20th-century art, public art commissions, and art market studies, and she is the author of Wilhelm von Bode and the American Art Market: The Rudolphe Kann Collection (Routledge, 2023)