Cosimo de' Medici

this claim for that particular painting. A likely purpose for the painting would have been as a spalliera placed above a cassone (i.e. a wall panel placed at shoulder height above a wedding chest) in a wedding chamber, possibly commissioned by the Medici in Florence. Such a painting would be erotic in nature, representing the consummation of the marriage and serving as inspiration for the virgin bride. In this case, Venus simultaneously represents empowerment and subservience. On the one hand,…

On September 27, 1389 Cosimo de Medici was born in Florence, and he became a grand influence on the people of the Renaissance. Medici was part of a large family of bankers and successful patrons. People called him Pater Patriae, which in Latin means Father of our Country. His great grandson, Lorenzo de Medici, or Lorenzo the Magnificent, named for his leadership and patronage, was also a significant part of Renaissance history. De Medici patronized artists by allowing them stay at his…

first carnival celebrated after the return of the Medicis from exile in 1512, after they had been expelled from the city in 1494.17 In 1512, Giuliano and Lorenzo de Medici returned with papal support to Florence, but this was not marked by any public ceremony.18 This carnival thus was the first public ritual that the Medicis could use to their advantage to signify their return to the city. Patronage of this event was a strategic move for the Medicis. Indeed, hierarchies are inverted during…

“O human race born to fly upward, wherefore at a little wind dost thou fall.” With his allegorical writing style, Dante Alighieri revolutionized literature in the renaissance period with masterpieces such as Dante’s Inferno. Dante Alighieri was born on May 21, 1265 in Florence, Italy. He was born to a wealthier family and had a good education as he learn poetry, philosophy, and many other literature skills he used in his writing. From the outside, his life looked perfect though his mother…

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Although Saint Aloysius Gonzaga has passed, his influence, story, and legacy will not be forgotten. Aloysius Gonzaga was born on March 9th, 1568. He was born in Italy to a family of power. Throughout Gonzaga’s life he endured major sickness, a conversion to the Jesuits, and a death caused by disease. Saint Gonzaga’s legacy has been remembered to this day through the naming of numerous schools and a university (“Society of Jesus”). Although his life was cut short by…

The Medici’s wealth surpasses everyone else wealth because of the business with the Catholic Church. The Medici family can deny anyone a loan and not worry about consequences. Both families control geographic areas of Northern and Southern Europe. Dukes of Burgundy owned land from Holland all the way to central France. Philip the Bold, father of Philip the Good, gained large amount of territory through political marriages and other strategies. According to Marilyn Stokstad, Philip married his…

The Medici family ruled the Republic of Florence for a significant portion of the 15th and 16th centuries and they were the most respected of the merchant families of the time. The Medici family were patrons of many famous artists and scholars of Italy and as a result of their patronage the Medici family has become synonymous with the cultural phenomenon of the Italian Renaissance. The Renaissance, beginning in Florence and spreading throughout the rest of Europe, was the rebirth of classical…

The Medici were representatives of early Renaissance patronage, however, the only ones. Lorenzo de Medici was a strong ruler of the Florentine Republic, and is known for is patronage of the arts during the early Renaissance. Cosimo de Medici learned how using the arts would help him to influence the people and help him gain power. Because of Cosimo money and power art and architecture in Florence was flourishing during the Florentine Renaissance. The Procession of the Magi is filled with the…

The Medici Many people consider the Medici to be the Godfathers of the Renaissance, but then again, many people do not.The Medici controlled the city of Florence all through the Renaissance. They had a large impact on the growth of the Italian Renaissance. They mainly helped through their patronage of the arts and humanism. In this essay readers will learn all about the Medici and how they gained their wealth and power, along with how they were beneficial to Florence. The Medici were very…

Medici During 13th Century Florence, the Medici Household gained power through different ways: political and wealth. They could attain this type of power through many achievements through market and banking influences. As they continued to grow both in strength and in numbers until they could obtain the papacy. To assure their protection and the protection of Florence they paid for some of the most brilliant artisans the world has ever seen: Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, and Galileo. These…