House of Medici

About the author Sir Henry Wotton (1568-1639) was an English poet, diplomat and politician. His family was well- to-do and he received a good education. Wotton was appointed ambassador to the court of Venice and later the provost of Eton College. He served as Member of Parliament in 1614 and 1625. He was knighted by James VI. His love for classical architecture developed during his stay in Venice. His book ‘The Elements of Architecture’ sought to familiarize the English man with…

I found Brunelleschi's design of the dome for Florence's cathedral to be a fascinating topic on scientific discovery. I also chose this topic because several years ago I watched a documentary that showed the construction of a one-fifth scale model of Brunelleschi’s dome and the possible construction methods that he may have used. The story begins in Florence, Italy in the year 1296 when the fathers of the city had decided to build a church to “showcase the status of Florence as one of Europe’s…

Giovanni Guidi’s 1449 piece, The Triumph of Fame (Desco Da Parto di Lorenzo De’ Medici) stands out as a key work of the time period. Foremost, the subject matter seems to call to attention both a mythologized scene recalling characters of antiquity presiding over the representations of persons who were presumably alive at the time of the commission, all gathered for the birth of the new family heir, Lorenzo De’ Medici. Of equal importance to this is the medium of which the piece is made, with…

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 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…

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…

Antonio Barberini SR Antonio Barberini is the younger brother of Maffeo Barberini, who became pope in 1623. In 1624 he made a cardinal and spent the whole day in religious devotions in Rome and eventually became a secretary after being an Inquisitor in 1629 following the death of Gian Garzia Millini. Barberini “conducted the final phase of Galileo’s trial” and sought to dominate his order with illegal actions such as appointing “one of its friars as consultor to the Inquisition” forcefully. At…

St. Catherine of Siena was known as a Christian reformer and mystic who had a significant impact on the church. She is the patron of fire prevention. Her real name was Caterina Benincasa. She was born March 25, 13447 in Siena, Italy. Catherine was the daughter of Giacomo Benincasa. St. Catherine wrote a book called “Dialogue” which talks about the love of neighbours as an expression of love for God. Catherine received a vision of Jesus Christ when she was 6 and at the age of 16, she spent most…

Through the Medici Party and many other established connections, the successful Medici leaders controlled the European Economy in the 15th Century. The Medici Family, originally from Mugello, a small, rural town, rose from simple beginnings to rule Florence (Cesati 19). The first ruler, Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici, moved a small Roman Bank Branch to Florence in order to utilize the possibility for expansion and investments (“Medici Bank”). After the death of Giovanni, Cosimo de’ Medici, took…

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…