Lecture | Titian and Michelangelo: A Tale of Genius and Rivalry
Designed by Bernard van Orley, woven by Willem and Jan Dermoyen, Surrender of King François I, c. 1528–31, wool, silk, gold, and silver thread, Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte, Naples. Image © Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte
May 11, 2025
In conjunction with the exhibition Knights in Shining Armor: The Pavia Tapestries, William E. Wallace of Washington University talks about his latest book. Titian and Michelangelo: A Tale of Genius and Rivalry delves into the lives and artistic legacies of these two Renaissance titans—contemporaries whose competitive spirit shaped the course of European art. Exploring the biographical and creative forces behind their legendary rivalry, this lecture reveals how their dynamic interplay set the stage for future artistic duels, foreshadowing the famed Picasso/Matisse rivalry of the modern era.
Plan Your Visit
- This program is included with Museum admission.
- The lecture takes place in Lynn Wyatt Theater in the Kinder Building. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Knights in Shining Armor: The Pavia Tapestries is located in Cullinan Hall in the Law Building.
- The book is available for purchase at the event.
- Parking Information | Museum Hours | MFAH Campus Map
About the Speaker
William E. Wallace is chair of art history and archaeology and professor of art history at Washington University in St. Louis. An authority on Michelangelo, Wallace teaches Renaissance art and architecture and is the author of numerous books and essays on Renaissance art. He has consulted for BBC programs, lectured widely, and received fellowships that include Harvard’s Villa I Tatti and the American Academy in Rome.
“Knights in Shining Armor: The Pavia Tapestries” is organized by the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte and The Museum Box in collaboration with the Kimbell Art Museum, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Major support is provided by:
Martha and Richard Finger
Additional generous support is provided by:
Luther King Capital Management
Vivian L. Smith Foundation
Consulate General of Italy in Houston and The Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles
All Learning and Interpretation programs at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, receive generous support from H-E-B; Institute of Museum and Library Services; Sempra Foundation; the Brown Foundation, Inc.; the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; the Joe Barnhart Foundation; the Cockrell Family Fund; the CFP Foundation; Macey and Harry Reasoner; the Texas Commission on the Arts; and the Junior League of Houston, Inc.
Endowment funds are provided by the Louise Jarrett Moran Bequest; Caroline Wiess Law; Windgate Foundation; the William Randolph Hearst Foundation; Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the Fondren Foundation; BMC Software, Inc.; the Wallace Foundation; the Neal Myers and Ken Black Children’s Art Fund; the Eleanor and Frank Freed Foundation; Medha and Shashank Karve; Virginia and Ira Jackson; Jesse H. Jones II; the CFP Foundation; the Favrot Fund; gifts in memory of John Wynne; Neiman Marcus Youth Arts Education; gifts in memory of Peter Lotz; and gifts in honor of Beth Schneider.