Leonardo's 'Paragone'

Step into the heart of the Renaissance debate with Sarah Ciacci inspired by Leonardo’s 'Paragone' – the argument over which art form reigns supreme: painting or sculpture.

Ciacci explores how not just the Renaissance artists and thinkers wrestled with the question, but others throughout history. Which medium best captures reality, emotion, and the human form? Examine how painters responded to sculpture’s claims of superiority and the techniques of illusion, light, perspective, and movement to demonstrate what painting could achieve that sculpture could not.

Along the way, using Leonardo as our guide, consider the questions that fascinated artists: Can painting rival the physical presence of sculpture? Does colour and atmosphere give painting an advantage? Is sculpture closer to nature or is painting more intellectually complex?

Sarah Ciacci has an MA in late 19th-century French painting and 20th-century abstract art from University College London. Qualifying as a Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London in 2008, Ciacci has been a National Gallery guide ever since.

Ciacci runs tours for My Kids and has taught Art History for a decade at Richmond University. She is also a Gallery Educator and an Accredited Lecturer for the Arts Society.