Hannibal Arts Council to offer history series on Renaissance on three Wednesdays in May

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal Arts Council will offer a limited history series as a weekday, daytime program.

The series, titled “Understanding the Renaissance, will be at 2 p.m. on May 10, 17 and 24 at the Hannibal Arts Council, 105 S. Main.  The programs are free and open to the public. Programs are sponsored by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

The first session on May 10 will address the general question, “What was the Renaissance?” Session two on May 17 will cover the question, “What was Renaissance Humanism?”  Finishing up the series on May 24 will be a discussion of the Northern Renaissance and Desiderius Erasmus.

Each session will be led by Sam Swisher, retired assistant professor of history and chair of the history department at HLGU. Attending the entire series is optimal. However, attending only those that fit your schedule is welcomed.

The purpose of this series is to give the general public a basic understanding of both the Italian and Northern Renaissance intellectual movements, which shaped western culture, especially the arts. The overview will be presented in three one-hour sessions with additional time for questions and answers. Sessions will feature PowerPoint presentations and will be accompanied by handouts for audience members.