Love Among the Seven Hills
One hour from Rome, the medieval Castello Orsini-Odeschalchi in Bracciano stands as a model of 15th century architecture and engineering. UCEAP students enrolled in the Art, Food and Society program recently toured the castle with their professor and the site’s curator, Paolo Alei. As students traversed the halls, fortified towers, and former bedrooms, the professor unravelled layers of history, decoding the rich iconography’s themes of love and sexuality central to their coursework.
Alei’s course, “Love and Sexuality in Early Modern Italy,” explores the complex world of romance among 15th century European nobility. Coursework not only takes place in the classroom, but across the whole of Rome and its environs, placing these love affairs— whether sweet or sordid—within their historical and social context.
The Orsini-Odeschalchi visit served to highlight the crucial nature of experiential learning. By exploring art on site, in its original context, amongst the surroundings of hill and lake and following in the footsteps of renowned noble families like the Borgias, students were able to gain insights into what concepts like sexuality, gender, and beauty meant to the people of 15th century Lazio. In addition, students could question curatorial rationale, with Paolo offering insights into the placement and selection of objects, which was intended to foster dialogue between complementary pieces.
Courses taught at Accent all have a storng experiential component. Instructors use the host city and region as course material; classroom lectures are enhanced by site visits to various locations, which may include monuments and museums, neighborhood landmarks, local and international companies, governmental agencies, NGOS, and more. To discuss potential courses or other ways to customize your education abroad program, please reach out to the Accent Development team at development@accentglobal.com
