Hamilton
ARTH 3121
Survey of Western Art History
The Medici Family: Influence over Design and Art in Florence, Italy
Kyle Hamilton
November 14, 2011
Hamilton
The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance. The
Renaissance was a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that
spanned from the end of the 13th century to the1600s. It was a time of rebirth for
art, design, music, and culture in Italy. It was marking the transition between
Medieval and Early Modern Europe. This was a time where the wealthy had great
influence over the changes occurring in the Renaissance. One prominent family of
this time was the Medici Family. Florence was the main city where their influence
was greatly seen. The Medici had an influential lifestyle that greatly affected the
styles of art and design through the Renaissance period in Florence. Florence was a
city that was reborn during the Italian Renaissance.
The Medici Family were not the average royal family, but earned their wealth
through commerce, trade, and banking. Their wealth was amassed even more by,
“bankrolling popes and kings. Through their wealth and their political abilities, they
went from being one of many patrician clans in Florence to the city’s hereditary
rulers.”1 The Medici were lovers of art and scholars. Leonardo, Raphael, Botticelli,
Galileo, Michelangelo, and Cellini were just a few of the many artists and scholars
they invested their interest and funds. This caused Florence to become a prime city
of art and culture during the Renaissance.
Giovanni Medici started the success of the line of their influence in Florence.
He used banking to make Florence the city to be for what was the latest in art,
design, and culture. This created connections between lands far and near, this also
brought the newest philosophies, writings, art, and design to Florence. It allowed
Bob Brier. Antonio Fornaciari. Gino Fornaciari. “Secrets of the Medici.” Archaeology,
Volume 58, Issue 4. Pgs. 36-41.
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Florence to be the hot spot of Europe. This caused some tension between Rome and
Florence, but it ended up having the two cities feed off each other. The investments
of the Medici Family’s money set up their way to take over the political scene of
Florence. Giovanni’s son, Cosimo, followed in his footsteps to become a powerhouse
controller over Florence, Italy without even having an official office or position.
Not only were the Medici controllers of the government, but also the church
system. The Medici Family, were not just attendants of the Basilica di San Lorenzo,
but also took pride in embellishing and reconstructing their church. Michelangelo
was a favorite artist of the Medici Family. The family took him in when he was
thirteen years old. He was discovered for his artistic talents and the Medici raised
him amongst future royals, allowing to nurture his artistic ways. This was a direct
link to the fact that the Medici Family were a big influence on Michelangelo and his
style of art and design. Michelangelo always pushed the limits of the possible by
embracing his own self-creativity and ideas.2
One of his greatest and most influential projects in Florence is the burial
chapel in the Medici church of San Lorenzo. The chapel includes a number of largerthan-life-sized marble statues, among them the famous portrayal of the four times of
day personified: Day, Night, Dawn, and Dusk. During the 1520s and 1530s,
Michelangelo carved most of the New Sacristy sculptures as well as the sculpture
known to be seen as Apollo but also David. Many are unsure whether Michelangelo
originally intended to represent the biblical hero, David, which was a symbol of the
2
Acidini Luchinat, Cristina, Palazzo Strozzi. The Medici, Michelangelo, & the Art of
Late Renaissance Florence. Art Institute of Chicago, and Detroit Institute of Arts. New
Haven. June 2002. Pgs. 6-30.
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Florentine republic, or if the artist planned to finish the marble as Apollo, the sun
god; who would later become the emblem of the Florentine art academy and its
patron, Cosimo.3
Michelangelo was the original designer of the Basilica, but the marble façade
was never completed. The interiors in the Renaissance period were very elegant
with white walls and gray column arcades. Inside are two bronze pulpits designed
and created by Donatello. Cosimo the Elder, the first Medici ruler, is buried under a
marble inlay design in front of the alter.
Manetti built the cloister in 1462. It has a beautiful garden with a formal
layout of hedges and pomegranate trees. After walking through the cloister it leads
to the library. Michelangelo was commissioned by Giulio di Giuliano de’ Medici to
create the design of the library. He started the construction in 1525, but left in 1534
so other architects had to finish his work. This design was one of a kind and to this
day still very original in its layout. When entering the lobby there is a grand
staircase, designed by Ammannati in 1559. There is a reading room that has bench
seating. The Medici Family acquired a massive collection of historic manuscripts and
books. They are valuable and prized collection housed in the library. There is also
the Medici chapel where the majority of the family are entombed.
This building has an entrance from the Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini.
From the first floor, one takes the stairs up to the Cappella dei Principi. The Chapel
of princes has six dukes entombed there under a large dome that was constructed
by Buontalenti. It reflects the design of the dome on the Florence Cathedral. The
Giancarlo Fiorenza. “The Medici, Michelangelo, and the Art of Late Renaissance
Florence.” CAA Reviews. 2.
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décor on the inside took centuries to perfect. It has elaborate marble finishes that
were finally completed in 1962. The walls have the sixteen coats of arms hung to
represent all the large cities in Tuscany. There are also two sculptures of the grand
dukes, Cosimo II and Ferdinando I. They never completed the sculptures for the four
remaining dukes. This chapel is now attached to the sacristy, which was designed by
Michelangelo. The sacristy houses many of the church furnishings along with
statues and other décor.4
Cosimo inherited his family's interest in art patronage for the glorification of
the dynasty, and he significantly improved the Medici collections. His acquisitions
reveal a wide-ranging interest in contemporary painting from Florence, and an
ongoing commitment to the Medici workshops. These establishments continued to
produce luxurious objects, with a gradual shift from the complex and intricate
Mannerist designs of the Florentine court artists to the bold, dramatic language of
the Baroque.
Cosimo encouraged his court painters and the new artists’ of the Florentine
art academy, in the development of a repertory of images that communicated Medici
power and rule over Florence. The painters Pontormo and Agnolo Bronzino created
a court portrait style for the Medici family. It was characterized by courtly grace and
opulence relating to power and military might. Bronzino and his workshop
produced a plethora of portraits of Cosimo, his family, the grand duke’s ancestors,
Giancarlo Fiorenza. “The Medici, Michelangelo, and the Art of Late Renaissance
Florence.” CAA Reviews. 3.
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and other of members of the court.5
Bronzino was commissioned by a member of the elite Medici circle to create
a religious work, Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist, it is one of the painter’s
most well-known works. Its references to specific examples of ancient Greek and
Roman sculpture which was recognizable and appreciated by the learned patron
along with his colleagues. Pontormo, who was better known for his paintings of
religious subjects, was awarded numerous and very important commissions by
Cosimo, including the decoration of the choir of the Medici church of San Lorenzo.
These frescoes are now gone, but have remnants within the church that give an idea
of what the works style were like.6
The Medici also had a luxurious style of design and art when it came to their
own residences. Cosimo de’ Medici hired Michelozzo Bartolomeo to design the
Palazzo Medici Riccardi. It is in the heart of Florence. When looking at the building,
as the floors go up, the stories of each floor decrease. The stone masonry is a
noticeable and successful design aspect. As the stories go up, the stonework goes
from a rougher, rustic look to a smooth finished stone. The first floor of the building
is where the help and animals were kept. The top floor was one of the main living
areas in the house. This was a creative way to distinguish the floors yet do it in a
playful way to create a unique design.
The interior of the Palazzo reveals an inner courtyard. There are large
columns with high archways in between each column. The walls have a classic style
Gary Ianziti. “Leonardo Bruni, the Medici, and the Florentine Histories.” Journal of
the History of Ideas 6, No. 1. Pgs. 3-5.
6 Robert W. Gaston. “Pontormo, Bronzion, Allori: A Genealogy of Florentine Art.”
CAA Reviews. 1-3.
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with carved details above the arches. Under the covered areas the doorways and
niches have intricate carvings above. The immense detail just alone in the courtyard
reveals a lavish lifestyle. 3 The interior rooms have a baroque style to the details of
the rooms. The Galleria in the Palazzo is grand in style and has a beautiful mural on
the ceiling. The walls have immense detailing and are covered with gold. The Medici
Family had exquisite taste in design and proudly flashed it through the overall
design of their Palazzo.7
The Medici Family later gained the property of the Villa Medici. It was located
on Pincio Hill. The family took control over this property in 1576. On the outside of
this property are ornate décor of reliefs. There are many statues held in niches
around the Villa. The loggia holds two lion statues and adjacent to them is the
fountain that showcases the sculpture of Mercury. It sits between a simplistic and
clean lined walkway of hedges and a few tall trees. The Villa offers a very decorative
yet sensitive approach to design on the outside and in the garden. 4 It was one of the
more elaborate Villas at that time.8
Piero di Medici was a strong influence on the design aspects in the San
Miniato al Monte during 1448. He created the falcon impresa, which was first used
for the Tabernacle of the Crucifix. When looking at the façade of San Miniato al
Monte, one will notice the arcading decorating the exterior walls with the mosaic of
Christ above the arcading. The complex is made up of the Bishop’s Palace, the
cemetery, the Basilica, and the fortification; it looks over the city of Florence.
Maureen C. Miller. “The Medici Renovation of the Florence Arcivescovado.” Tatti
Studies. Pgs. 94-114.
8 Clara Bargellini. Pierre da a Ruffiniere du Prey. “Sources for a reconstruction of the
Villa Medici, Fiesole.” Burlington Magazine 111, No. 799. Pgs. 597-605.
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On the inside of the Basilica are marble intarsias depicting the zodiac
symbols. The walls were covered with frescoes dating back to the 13th century.
There is also a mosaic of the Blessing Christ flanked by Madonna and Saints, which
is in the apse of the church. Spinello Aretino was hired to tell a story through
frescoes of the sixteen stories of the legend of St. Benedict. At the center of the
church is the Chapel of the Crucifix designed by Michelozzo.9
Lorenzo de’ Medici was also a lover of architecture and design. He helped
find the artist to do the façade on the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. He hosted a
competition to decide on the artist to do the façade. Originally it was only half
completed and the city decided to redo the façade in its entirety. The project wasn’t
started until the 19th century due to a scandal during the competition. Emilio de
Fabris was ultimately chosen to do the façade on the Florence Cathedral. It was
finally completed in 1887. The design is in white, green, and red marbles. It is a
simplistic color scheme but provides great contrast and depth to the façade. It is a
beautiful and intricate design that represents the cultural inspirations that were
going on in Florence at that time.10
The structure of this church took even longer than the façade to complete.
The dome was the crowning element to the cathedral. The addition of this wasn’t
started until after over 100 years of work. Arnolfo di Cambio was the original
visionary of this cathedral and it’s dome. By Florence sponsoring this design for
Linda A. Koch. “Power, Prophecy, and Dynastic Succession in Early Medici
Florence: The Falcon Impresa of Piero di Cosimo de’ Medici.” Zeitschrift Fur
Kunstgeschichte, no. 4. Pgs. 507-538.
10 Philip Foster. “Lorenzo de’ Medici and the Florence Cathedral Façade.” Art
Bullentin 63, No. 3. 495.
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their new cathedral, they were breaking away from the highly gothic style churches
and heading into a new way of design for their church. This cathedral is a statement
piece in Florence and in the heart of the city.11
There were issues during the construction of the dome because the
Florentines were the first to try to dome a dome with such great height. The
structure seemed unstable and Brunellechi was brought in to take on this project.
With a lot of ideas, he brought the vision to life with the help of chains, rails, and
cross ties. His design for this construction was advanced for their times and
considered many engineering skills. Between the brick layout to the imaginary circle
supports throughout the dome, it became a success. It is amazing to think that this
design was done based off a small-scale model and instincts from a confident
architect.12
Florence is a city that is ever changing with times. The Renaissance put it on
the map for the city to be in, at that time. The Medici Family had their hands in every
aspect of the running of this city. Whether it was politics, the church, artwork, or
design, the Medici Family was on top of it. The wealthy only became more powerful
at this time. Life was happy and the rebirth of all the aspects on a day to day basis,
brought light to the darker gothic once known. From having Michelangelo create
one of a kind sculptures and designs to hosting competitions that would make a
statement that Florence was going against the classically known cathedral designs,
Amy R. Bloch. “Santa Maria del Fiore: The Cathedral and Its Sculpture.” CAA
Reviews. 1-3.
12 Marvin Trachtenberg. “Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, and “L’occhio” minore of Florence
Chathedral.” Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 42, No. 3. 249-257.
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the Medici brought insight to it all. It is seemed to believe that without the Medici
Family’s influence during the Renaissance in Florence, it would have never reached
the level of sophistication and originality achieved.
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Annotated Bibliography
Brier, Bob. Fornaciari, Antonio. Fornaciari, Gino. “Secrets of the Medici.” Archaeology,
Volume 58, Issue 4. July/August 2005. Pgs. 36-41.
This piece focuses on the excavation of the Medici Family in Florence, Italy.
This will give direct insight to the lifestyle of the Family and their very
elaborate and wealthy life. Secrets that were once kept under wraps are now
revealed.
Miller, Maureen C. “The Medici Renovation of the Florence Arcivescovado.” Tatti
Studies. Pgs. 89-116
This article provides information on how the Medici Family started their gain
in power and the palaces they lived in throughout their days of reign over
Florence.
Cohen, Edie. “Fit for a Medici.” Interior Design, Volume 77, Issue 6. May 2006. Pgs.
272-279.
This article discusses the Medici’s art collection in great detail and the
lengths they went through to preserve it and allow it to grow.
Acidini Luchinat, Cristina, Palazzo Strozzi. The Medici, Michelangelo, & the Art of Late
Renaissance Florence. Art Institute of Chicago, and Detroit Institute of Arts.
New Haven. June 2002. Pgs. 6-30.
In this book it discusses the Medici Family and the influence they have over
Michelangelo’s art in Florence during the Renaissance.
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Gascoigne, Bamber. “History of the Medici.” HistoryWorld. From 2001, ongoing.
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=aa2
4.
This website gives a summary of the Medici Family and what occurred in
Florence during the Renaissance It also discusses the ending of the
Renaissance period.
Bargellini, Clara, and Pierre de la Ruffiniére du Prey. "Sources for a reconstruction of
the Villa Medici, Fiesole." Burlington Magazine 111, No. 799. October 1969.
Pgs. 597-605.
This magazine offers information on the décor and reconstruction of the Villa
Medici.
Koch, Linda A. "Power, Prophecy, and Dynastic Succession in Early Medici Florence:
The Falcon Impresa of Piero di Cosimo de' Medici." Zeitschrift Für
Kunstgeschichte, No. 4. October 2010. Pgs. 507-538.
This piece informs the reader of the design aspects in the San Miniato al
Monte during 1448.
Foster, Philip. "Lorenzo de' Medici and the Florence Cathedral Facade." Art Bulletin
63, No. 3. September 1981. Pgs. 495.
This bulletin offers information about the process of Medici finding the
designer for the façade of the cathedral.
Fiorenza, Giancarlo. "The Medici, Michelangelo, and the Art of Late Renaissance
Florence." CAA Reviews. March 15, 2004. 1-3.
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This piece discusses the Medici Family, Michelangelo and the art created
during the Ranaissance. It brings up the more famous works and designs of
Michelangelo.
Ianziti, Gary. "Leonardo Bruni, the Medici, and the Florentine Histories." Journal Of
The History Of Ideas 69, no. 1. January 2008. Pgs. 1-22.
It discusses Cosimo and his influence over the art community through many
different things. It explains how he controlled and delegated the designing of
many things at this time.
Gaston, Robert W. "Pontormo, Bronzino, Allori: A Genealogy of Florentine Art." CAA
Reviews. November 24, 2003. 1-3.
This discusses the works that Pontormo and Bronzino were hired to do
during the Renaissance and what they were well known for in the
Renaissance.
Trachtenberg, Marvin. "Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, and "L'occhio" minore of Florence
Cathedral." Journal Of The Society Of Architectural Historians 42, no. 3.
October 1983. Pgs. 249-257.
This Journal will help explain the process Brunelleschi went through while
working the Santa Maria del Fiore’s dome.
Bloch, Amy R. "Santa Maria del Fiore: The Cathedral and Its Sculpture." CAA Reviews.
August 12, 2002. 1-3.
This gives an overview of the whole design and building process of the Santa
Maria del Fiore.