Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti: Rivals in Genius

Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti were the two greatest artists of the Renaissance. They both lived and worked in Florence and throughout northern Italy and they left a rich legacy for us to enjoy today.

Through vivid storytelling and a stunning slideshow of their masterpieces, discover how their brilliance—and fierce rivalry—shaped the course of Western art. Through Dr. Erwing’s engrossing storytelling, learn how ambition, ego, and mutual influence fueled conflict and creativity between these two legendary artists.

When: Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., October 29, 2025

Where: Italian Cultural & Community Center, 1101 Milford Street

Tickets: $10 ICCC Members | $15 General Admission

Meet Your Instructor

Dr. Doug Erwing is a former professor in the Honors College at UH where he taught and ran programs for 17 years. During his time, he taught a variety of subjects including early American history, the Constitution, civil rights, and Italian Renaissance art. He holds a J.D. and a Ph.D. in American Legal History, and he was a Melon Fellow. He has co-led trips to Italy from the Honors College and has given art walks and talks in Florence. He also leads trips to Italy through a travel company called the Cultured Traveler that he co-owns with a dear friend and fellow lover of all things Italian, Dr. Dustin Gish. When in Houston he keeps busy as the chief legal officer of a commercial real estate brokerage firm.

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

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Host or Publisher Italian Cultural & Community Center