
LECTURES from Sarah
Sarah Dunant is a widely respected author celebrated for her engaging and well-researched historical novels, including The Birth of Venus, In the Company of the Courtesan and Blood & Beauty. Her writing brings Renaissance Italy to life through rich storytelling and compelling female characters.
A thoughtful and engaging speaker, Sarah offers talks that explore the connections between history, art, politics and gender. She shares insights into the lives of women in Renaissance Europe, the political complexities of the Borgias and how fiction can offer new perspectives on the past. Her lectures are well-suited to literary festivals, academic events and cultural programmes, offering audiences a fascinating blend of history and storytelling.
Available for keynote talks, panel discussions and bespoke events.

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The Art of the Courtesan in Renaissance Italy
This lecture uncovers the story behind Titian’s Venus of Urbino - the first nude in post-Christian art to meet the viewer’s gaze - and the cultured courtesans who inspired it. Their world also shaped Sarah’s bestselling novel In the Company of the Courtesan.
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Behind These Walls
Creativity, visions and horror in Renaissance convents. An illustrated lecture by Sarah Dunant.
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The Borgias: The Most Infamous Family in History?
Sometimes truth is more intoxicating than myth. An illustrated lecture by Sarah Dunant.