GCU’s Friday Art Dinner Series to Focus on Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci’s late 15th-century mural painting, The Last Supper, represents the scene of the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles.

Leonardo da Vinci’s presumed self-portrait, c. 1512

Lakewood, N.J., October 20, 2017—Delve into the genius behind the creative works of “Renaissance man” Leonardo da Vinci on Friday, November 3, as Lisa Festa, Ph.D., Georgian Court University associate professor of art history, gives a multimedia presentation on the life and art of the artistic genius behind the world-famous paintings Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Guests will enjoy a multicourse dinner of regional cuisine before the presentation, which will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the North Dining Room on GCU’s historic Lakewood campus. The event is part of Dr. Festa’s ongoing “Adventures in Fine Art” series.

Archetype of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and creation. Few would deny that he was a genius as an artist, scientist, inventor, and musician. Da Vinci was born in Anchiano, Tuscany, which is now present-day Italy. As a child, he had no exposure to a formal education, learning only the basics in reading, writing, and math. However, da Vinci’s talent as a fine artist made up for his lack of education. Apprenticed early to Andrea del Verrocchio (1435–1488) in Florence, Italy, to learn painting and sculpting, da Vinci qualified at age 20 as a master in the Guild of Saint Luke, which included artists and medical doctors. Many of his works were influenced by science and nature, for he took interest in scientific theories and natural ideas.

Tickets are $43 per person, which includes dinner and the lecture. Tickets are required. For more information, please contact the GCU Office of Conferences and Special Events at 732.987.2263 or specialevents@georgian.edu.

On December 1, Dr. Festa will explore Titian and the Venetian Renaissance in the next “Adventures in Fine Art” dinner event in the North Dining Room at 6:30 p.m.

Founded in 1908 and sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, Georgian Court University is Central and South Jersey’s only Catholic university. GCU is a comprehensive, coeducational university with a strong liberal arts core and a historic special concern for women. As a forward-thinking university that supports diversity and academic excellence, Georgian Court expands possibility for more than 2,300 students of all faiths and backgrounds in 33 undergraduate majors and more than 10 graduate programs. In 2015, GCU was named #25 among MONEY® magazine’s “Top 50 Colleges That Add the Most Value” and a Best Bang for the Buck School by Washington Monthly. GCU has also been recognized by The Economist and Colleges of Distinction and is a Military Friendly® School. The main campus is located in Lakewood, New Jersey, on the picturesque former George Jay Gould estate, a National Historic Landmark. Georgian Court, which is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, also serves students at other locations, such as GCU at Hazlet, and through multiple online certificate and degree programs.