Exploring the Rivalry Between Leonardo and Michelangelo


Dr James Lindow to give talk for The Arts Society Ealing


Da Vinci's Last Supper

September 16, 2025

A public lecture examining the historic rivalry between Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti is to be hosted by the Arts Society Ealing.

It will take place on Monday 22 September at St Barnabas Church Hall, Pitshanger Lane. The event marks 500 years since Michelangelo’s birth and will explore the complex relationship between two of the most prominent figures of the Italian Renaissance.

The talk, delivered by Renaissance scholar Dr James Lindow, will focus on the artistic and personal tensions between the two men, particularly in relation to their competing commissions for frescoes in Florence’s great council chamber. Though neither work was completed, the surviving designs offer insight into their contrasting approaches and the competitive atmosphere of the time.

Dr Lindow, who holds the first Renaissance PhD jointly awarded by the Royal College of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum, has lectured internationally and published widely on Renaissance art and architecture. His book The Renaissance Palace in Florence was released by Ashgate Press.

Doors open at 6:45pm, with the lecture beginning at 7:30pm. Entry is £10, or £3 for students, with card payment available on the evening.

The Arts Society Ealing belongs to the large umbrella organisation, The Arts Society, previously known as the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS), which was founded in 1968. The local Society has a membership of around 140.

The Arts Society Ealing holds 10 lectures a year and more information can be found by visiting its web site.

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