Expertise, Services and Interview
My areas of Expertise
As an artist and Master Craftsman, I can speak with authority on how works of art were originally created, from personal experience. In my time, I have worked in wrought iron, steel and non-ferrous metals, cast iron and bronze, solid silver and gold, and organic materials including textiles, wood and leather.
As an independent historian, I have spent many years studying the art, history and culture of Italy in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, particularly Florence in the 15th century. Military history is another important element of my studies, principally the Italian mercenary Captains and their companies: the Condottieri.
All this is backed up by an extensive knowledge of Medieval and Renaissance Europe and the Classical World.
Services
Museum Consultancy:
I use my expertise to advise museums, from research work on individual artworks to much larger projects, and I have designed the layout of complete museum galleries.
Scholastic Research:
As a specialist in Medieval and Renaissance Italy, I am also used to translating and properly interpreting Italian historical documents. When working from originals in archives, this can be particularly challenging, as they are often written in a mixture of local dialect and Latin, and use non-standard spelling and abbreviations. I translate them into an English which is readily understandable to the modern reader, and also does justice to the original text.
Public Speaking and Education:
I have lectured for over 35 years (in English and Italian), and organized two international conferences. I have been a regular lecturer at the Wallace Collection, London. More recently I have taught private students and classes from state schools, both English and Italian, and I believe that my unique perspective and passion for the material can give students a deeper understanding of Medieval and Renaissance Italian art, history and culture.
Writing Commissions:
I accept commissions for written work, such as articles for blogs and publications, museum catalogues and more exhaustive books. I will also consider adapting any of my published books for broadcast with myself as presenter.
Stage and Screen:
Getting historical detail right has always been important in period drama, but now the widespread use of CGI, both for actors and their surroundings, has made reconstructing the past a lot easier for film and television, giving production designers the freedom to include superb historical detail. My expertise can give your production set in Italy that extra bit of historical accuracy, creating an impressive and convincing world on screen.
Interview
I am available for broadcast interview, via Zoom. Subjects can range from Italian art and history, to broader modern cultural themes.
For appearance and consultancy rates, please get in touch via the Contact page.