February 17

Events - Culture & Arts

1600day.year

On his way to be burned at the stake for heresy, at Campo de' Fiori in Rome, the philosopher Giordano Bruno has a wooden vise put on his tongue to prevent him continuing to speak.

In 1600, philosopher Giordano Bruno was forcibly silenced with a wooden gag on his way to execution for heresy in Rome.

Giordano Bruno, an Italian philosopher and cosmologist, challenged Church doctrine with his writings. Condemned for heresy, he was led to Campo de' Fiori for execution on February 17, 1600. To prevent his final words, authorities secured a wooden vise onto his tongue along the procession. He was then burned at the stake, with his works later influencing scientific and Renaissance thought. Bruno's martyrdom highlighted the conflict between free inquiry and ecclesiastical authority.

1600 Campo de' Fiori Giordano Bruno

1913day.year

The Armory Show opens in New York City, displaying works of artists who are to become some of the most influential painters of the early 20th century.

The 1913 Armory Show in New York City astonished audiences with avant-garde European modern art.

The Armory Show, officially titled the International Exhibition of Modern Art, opened on February 17, 1913 at the 69th Regiment Armory in New York City. It featured over 1,300 works by more than 300 artists, including Marcel Duchamp, Henri Matisse, and Pablo Picasso. For many Americans it was their first encounter with Cubism, Fauvism, and other avant-garde movements. The bold forms and abstract compositions provoked both fascination and controversy among critics and the public. More than 200,000 visitors attended the six-week exhibition, making it one of the decade's largest art events. Despite heated debates over some pieces, the show reshaped American art and inspired a generation of modern artists. Its legacy endures as a pivotal moment in the acceptance of modernism in the United States.

1913 Armory Show