In partnership with the Alumni Executive Council, the University continues "Laurentians Learn," a series of webinars aimed at expanding learning opportunities from faculty, staff, students, alumni, and parents on important and interesting topics.
Join us in May for: The Caravaggio Syndrome: A Novel Examination of Caravaggio’s The Seven Works of Mercy with Dr. Alessandro Giardino, Associate Professor and Co-Chair, World Languages, Cultures, and Media
Join Dr. Alessandro Giardino for an illuminating exploration of art, literature, and cultural history as Giardino’s multi-layered narrative reexamines Caravaggio’s The Seven Works of Mercy. Through the dynamic exchange between a student and mentor, this study unveils the complexities of one of Baroque art’s most evocative masterpieces—where chiaroscuro, devotion, and social commentary intersect. By weaving together diverse cultural perspectives and rigorous scholarship, Giardino’s novel offers a fresh lens on Caravaggio’s enduring influence, challenging the way we engage with both artistic heritage and contemporary storytelling.
About The Caravaggio Syndrome: Leyla is a headstrong Brooklyn-born art historian at a prestigious upstate New York college. When she meets feckless young computer technician Pablo at a party, she quickly becomes pregnant with his child. There’s only one problem: she can’t stand him. And one more problem: her student Michael wants Pablo for himself. Amid this love triangle, the objects of Leyla and Michael’s study take on a life of their own. Trying to learn more about Caravaggio’s masterpiece The Seven Works of Mercy, they pore over the journal and prison writings of maverick 17th-century utopian philosopher Tommaso Campanella, which, as if by enchantment, transport them back four centuries to Naples. And while the past and present miraculously converge, Leyla, Michael, and Tommaso embark on a voyage of self-discovery in search of a new life.
Register by 12:00 p.m. on Monday, May 12, 2025