Dr. Emanuele Lugli

Biography

Emanuele Lugli is an art historian specializing in late medieval and early modern Italian painting, urban culture, trade, and fashion. His theoretical concerns encompass questions of scale, labor, history, and technology, as well as the reach of intellectual networks. He is recognized for his expertise in the history of measurements and has authored a trilogy on this topic. One of his notable works, 'Unità di Misura: Breve Storia del Metro in Italia' (Il Mulino, 2014), reconstructs the revolution initiated by the introduction of the metric system in nineteenth-century Italy. His book, 'Making Measure: The Promise of Sameness' (University of Chicago Press, 2019), explores the foundations of objectivity in the examination of measurement standards established by medieval communities. His recent publication, 'Measuring Renaissance: An Introduction' (Cambridge University Press, 2023), underscores the significance of measurement in creative activities and dismantles the misinformation generated by these concepts. Emanuele has also explored the intricate topic of how hair and bodily representations shaped concepts of beauty and desire in Renaissance Florence in his work, 'Knots of Violence and Desire in Renaissance Florence' (University of Chicago Press, 2023). He co-edited a collection of essays discussing the role of size in art-making titled 'Scale' with Joan J. Kee from the University of Michigan (Hoboken, Wiley-Blackwell, 2015). In addition to his academic research, he frequently writes for various magazines and newspapers, including The Guardian, Slate, Il Sole 24 Ore, Domani, Vogue, and Vanity Fair.

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