“1500 eggs, 2496 chickens and small birds, 700 ducks and 120 barrels of wine”……. The shopping list for a wedding feast in Florence in 1466 tells us that marriage was a serious business for wealthy families in the Italian Renaissance. An advantageous marriage was vital to secure status and the importance of such marriages was reflected in festivities on a scale that would rival today’s celebrity weddings. The occasion was marked by the giving of extravagant gifts and bedrooms for the newly married couple were decorated with luxury goods and paintings. This talk looks at weddings and at the lavish array of objects and paintings made to celebrate marriage in Renaissance Italy.

Free for members, £8 for guests.