Florence: Jewel of the Italian Renaissance

Join us for a four-week course on Renaissance Florence with Dr. Dustin Gish!

For over three centuries (1250-1600), the republican city-state of Florence flourished as the jewel of the Italian Renaissance. Often known as the "cradle" of the Renaissance, the place where the re-birth or revival of classical culture and wisdom first took hold in Italy, Florence in these centuries served as the home to a thriving community of free citizens, talented statesmen, skilled craftsman, master artisans, and brilliant intellectuals. Their masterworks of architecture, art, poetry, history, and humanist philosophy represented the best of the emerging Italian Renaissance civilization.

In this four-week course, we will consider the writings of great Florentine poets, statesmen, historians, and philosophers (Dante, Salutati, Bruni, Alberti, Ficino, Poliziano, Pico, Machiavelli) alongside works of magnificent art and architecture by Florentine artists (Giotto, Fra Angelico, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Alberti, Masaccio, Donatello, Michelozzo, Botticelli, Michelangelo). During each session, Professor Gish (who lived and taught in Italy for a decade) will lead discussions of selected readings from the history, philosophy, and civic humanism of the Florentine Renaissance, while also guiding participants on a journey through the famous works of visual arts and architecture from that same period. This course promises to enrich your understanding of the many facets of the city-state of Florence as the sparkling jewel of the entire Italian Renaissance.

When: Mondays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., September 8 through September 29, 2025

Where: Italian Cultural & Community Center, 1101 Milford Street

Tickets: $125 ICCC Members | $150 General Admission

Meet Your Instructor

Dr. Dustin Gish is a Professor of Humanities and Political Philosophy in the Honors College at the University of Houston, where he has taught courses in political theory, philosophy, and literature since 2014. He received his interdisciplinary Ph.D. from the Institute of Philosophic Studies at the University of Dallas, and his M.A. in Liberal Education from St. John’s College (SF). For a decade, Dr. Gish lived in Rome, Italy, and taught courses there at two American universities focused on ancient Roman civilization as well as on the art, history, and philosophy of the Italian Renaissance. He has published extensively on the plays of Shakespeare, Thomas Jefferson and the American Founding, Xenophon's Socrates, and the visual rhetoric of Italian civic republicanism.

Cancellation Policy: Due to high demand for courses, tuition is non-refundable. We offer tuition credit toward a future group class if you cancel 48 hours in advance of the start of the first class. Tuition credit is valid for six months from the date issued. If you cancel less than 48 hours in advance, your tuition payment will be converted into a tax-deductible donation to the Italian Cultural & Community Center. No credits or refunds will be given to students who miss a portion of the class. To cancel your reservation, email us at [email protected].

This course is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance.

Click here to become a member of the Italian Cultural & Community Center of Houston and receive special discounts on language classes and access to exclusive, members-only events.

Host or Publisher Italian Cultural & Community Center