Jan, 09, 2026
Media AlertsEuropean Art
Phoenix Art Museum, FOCUS on European Art present special lecture on art of the Florentine Baroque period
Dr. Davide Gasparotto of the Getty Museum to discuss gilded frames of Florentine Baroque period
PHOENIX (January 5, 2026) – This January, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) and FOCUS on European Art will partner to present Carved Splendors: Florentine Baroque Frames at the Medici Court, a special lecture by Dr. Davide Gasparotto, Senior Curator of Paintings and Chair of Curatorial Affairs at the J. Paul Getty Museum (The Getty) in Los Angeles, will discuss the gilded frames of the Florentine Baroque period,inspired by the current exhibition at PhxArt, Florentine Baroque: The Haukohl Collection. The event will be held on January 28 at 6 pm at Phoenix Art Museum. Tickets are free for Museum Members and $8 for the general public and can be reserved here. A ticketed, black-tie dinner honoring Dr. Gasparotto and Sir Mark Fehrs Haukohl will be held following the lecture. Tickets are available for $300 per guest, which includes an inspired plated dinner by M Culinary, beverage service, and live musical entertainment and can be reserved here.
A native of Italy, Gasparotto studied at the University and the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa before beginning his curatorial career at the National Gallery of Parma. From 2012 to 2014, he served as Director of the Galleria Estense in Modena, where he oversaw significant exhibitions and collection initiatives prior to joining the Getty in 2014. An expert in Renaissance art, his scholarship focuses on painting, sculpture, and decorative arts of the period, the rediscovery of classical antiquity, and the history of collecting, with particular emphasis on the Italian Renaissance. His research and lectures—such as his work on Bertoldo di Giovanni and the revival of classical culture in the age of Lorenzo de’ Medici—reflect his deep engagement with the artistic and intellectual currents that shaped the Renaissance and its legacy.
Florentine Baroque: The Haukohl Collection presents more than 30 examples of painting, sculpture, and decorative arts drawn from the most important Florentine Baroque art collection outside of Italy, assembled over more than 40 years by Houston-based art collector and co-founder of the Medici Archive Project Sir Mark Fehrs Haukohl. Featured artworks by local Florentine artists and artists living across Europe reflect Florence’s flourishing art industry, as well as the cultural and intellectual legacy of the Medici Grand Dukes on the Renaissance and Baroque movements. The Haukohl Collection has been shared with museums and exhibitions worldwide, revealing the broader historical significance of Florentine art within European art history. The presentation of these works at Phoenix Art Museum is the first of its kind in Arizona.
This event is hosted in partnership with FOCUS on European Art, a membership-based 501(c)(3) support organization that promotes education in the arts, with special emphasis on European art and art history. An evening with Dr. Davide Gasparotto and Sir Mark Fehrs Haukohl is made possible through the generosity of presenting sponsor The Kasser Family with additional support from Huntington T. Block Insurance and WealthSpire.
For more information about this event, contact the Communications Office of Phoenix Art Museum at 602.257.2117 or kaylee.weyrauch@phxart.org. For more information on FOCUS on European Art, contact FocusOnEuropeanArt@outlook.com.
About the Exhibition
Florentine Baroque: The Haukohl Collection is organized by Sir Mark Fehrs Haukohl with the generous support of the Haukohl Philanthropies. Its presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is coordinated by Rachel Sadvary Zebro, Associate Curator of Collections. Florentine Baroque: The Haukohl Collection is made possible by FOCUS on European Art. Additional support is provided by Joanna and Mick Levin. All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin.
Admission is free for Museum Members and youth aged five and younger. Entrance into the exhibition is included in general admission for the public. Visitors may also enjoy reduced admission to the exhibition during voluntary-donation times on Wednesdays from 3 – 8 pm, made possible by SRP and City of Phoenix and First Fridays from 5 – 8 pm, made possible by APS and Lexus, with additional support from Arizona Community Foundation. For a full breakdown of general admission prices and hours, see phxart.org/visit/.
About Phoenix Art Museum
Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) has engaged millions of visitors with the art of our region and world. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, PhxArt creates spaces of exchange and belonging for all audiences through dynamic exhibitions, collections, and experiences with art. Each year, 300,000 guests on average engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 21,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern, and contemporary art and fashion design, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson. PhxArt also presents live performances, outstanding examples of global cinema, arts-education programs and workshops, an art+music festival, and more for the community. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.
About FOCUS on European Art
FOCUS on European Art is a charitable organization that promotes education in the arts, with special emphasis on European art and art history. FOCUS organizes salons, presentations and other events virtually and in person for its members and guests, inviting distinguished local, national, and international scholars and curators as speakers. FOCUS also supports art education and collections in public art museums by funding acquisitions, exhibitions, conservation, educational programs, and other board-approved donations. To learn more about Focus on European Art, visit focusoneuropeanart.org.
About Sir Mark Fehrs Haukohl and The Haukohl Philanthropies
Sir Mark is a collector and philanthropist residing in Houston, Texas. He is Chairman of the Board of The Vero Group, a Family Office. Sir Mark is an experienced Wall Street investor having previously been Managing Director of Salomon Smith Barney in New York. He is co-founder of The Medici Archive Project of Florence, Italy. The Haukohl Family Philanthropies, whose objective is to advance art education for underserved audiences, have underwritten numerous acquisitions and exhibitions at the J. Paul Getty Museum of Los Angeles, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Arp Museum in Banhof Rolandseck of Remagen, Germany and the BOZAR in Brussels, to name only a few.