Cradle of Compassion: Art and Charity at the Hospital of the Innocents

This talk explores the powerful intersection of art, charity, and civic identity in 15th-century Florence, centered on the Ospedale degli Innocenti—the first foundling hospital in Europe and a masterpiece of early Renaissance design. Commissioned by the wealthy Arte della Seta (Silk Guild), the hospital embodied the city’s ideals of public piety and social responsibility. Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, its harmonious architecture set a new standard for civic buildings. We’ll examine how Luca della Robbia’s iconic terracotta medallions and Domenico Ghirlandaio’s touching frescoes transformed the hospital into a visual expression of compassion and care, elevating the act of charity through humanist art and patronage.