Were the Medicis the great heroes of the Renaissance or the great villains?
The Medici’s were a prominent family in the Renaissance, who ruled Florence from 1434 to 1737. They are regarded as being one of the most powerful and richest families in the whole of Europe. The Medics used this great status and wealth to develop an improved Florence, one that was significantly influenced by the Renaissance. The Medici family can most certainly be regarded as the significant heroes of the Renaissance. This is due to their significant promotion and patronage in the arts, in turn bringing focus back to the antiquities, a major importance during the Renaissance period. Furthermore, the Medicis can be considered the great heroes of the Renaissance, due
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However, the truth is that the Medici were actually nowhere near the most corrupt family in Europe. Many prominent families paid bribes and killed members of opposing families, in order to be the most powerful. Infact, families such as the Borgias, are regarded as being far more corrupt and villainous than what the Medici were. The Borgias were accused of, “a catalogue of sins, among them murder, bribes, incest, poisoning and bewitching.” These accusations are far worse than that of those against the Medici, who are only alleged to have bribed, and very rarely murdered members of opposing families. Even these accusations are not definite, as opposed to those against the Borgias, who are said to have certainly done many of the accused. Furthermore, the alleged bribes and corruption should not mean that the Medicis cannot be considered the heroes of the Renaissance. This is because, “almost every single European Renaissance family paid bribes and backstabbed in order to rise to power.” From this, it is clear that the Medicis were just as- if not less- corrupt than many other families in Renaissance Europe, and should thus not be considered villains. In fact, even if the Medici family were to be considered corrupt on a personal level, it should not mean that in terms of the Renaissance, they were villains. This is because, although they may have backstabbed and paid bribes in order to gain initial power, they contributed to the overall growth of the city-state of Florence, as well as to the growth of the Renaissance. Although the Medici family may have been considered corrupt, in terms of the Renaissance, when compared to other families in Europe at the time, the Medicis can certainly be considered the great
Under the Medici rule, especially the leadership of Lorenzo de’Medici, art thrived and new revolutionary ideas emerged, furthering the Renaissance in Florence while challenging the stronghold of the church. Florence became an edifice for art and the greatest painters of the time flocked to the city including Fra Filippo Lippi, Verrocchio, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo (Greenblatt 13)...
U Mcllvenna, Scandal and Reputation at the Court of Catherine de Medici, University of Sydney
When a person thinks about the Renaissance, the first thing that comes to mind is more than likely knights in shining armor fighting off dragons and saving the princess. However, lets look at a more realistic approach towards the Renaissance and talk about what really brings out the brilliance and the beauty of this time period, which is nonetheless the art that was informed and inspired by classical antiquity from the Greeks and the Roman civilizations. The artist during the Renaissance was pure genius and masters of draftsmanship and distinguished techniques in displaying a command of lighting, flawless perspectives of image, accurate portrayals of flora and fauna, and the complexities and intricacies of human anatomy and physiology. This period was heavily influenced by religious relic and concepts and these artists expanded beyond the ideas of religious intuitive. Renaissance art was a movement of rediscovering people as individuals as a person and not just another being and this proven through the faces on paintings that have profound and very distinctive displays and expression of emotion. Artwork during the Renaissance became the it thing to do spreading into the households of wealthy merchants, bankers, popes, and princes spending large amounts of money on portraits, miniatures, and still life photographs.
The Renaissance began after Europe began recovering from the Black Death. Anyone who had survived was just happy to be alive and started focusing more on material things, rather than religious ones. Another reason the focus shifted from religious thoughts was because of the Great Schism. People began second guessing their rulers and religious leaders and became more secular. One important city involved in the Renaissance was Florence, which would come to be known as the cultural center of the Renaissance. Florence was located in Tuscany and was ruled by merchants originally, but was later taken over by a wealthy family known as the Medicis. Later, however, the economy began to decline, which made the people turn to a man known as Savonarola. Savonarola, however, was an extremely strict ruler and did not allow such things as gambling or painting. He then went on to criticize the Pope and was sentenced to death for heresy. The Medici family then gained back control. These power struggles within Italy would lead to better trade which would help lead to people having a new, better way of life.
Historians and scholars often overlook the part that women played in the Renaissance. Did women have a Renaissance? The period did not occur in a male only vacuum; women played an important part in the changes taking place across Europe. No matter a woman’s station in the class system, women, were still considered the sinful daughter of Eve, the downfall of man. Into this world stepped Isabella d’Este, one of the great women of the Renaissance.
... hearts of people through peaceful action, not greed. His patronage of the arts produced some of the most prime examples of Renaissance painting and sculpture, no other person has come close to the amount of commissions of Lorenzo de Medici during his time. Michelangelo remains undoubtedly the greatest painter and sculptor of all time, and without Lorenzo taking interest in him and promoting him with his generous commissions, he might have never gone on to paint the Sistine Chapel and sculpt David and Pieta. The humble, uncrowned prince of Florence accomplished so much in such a short life, more than many crowned Italian rulers have in their time on the throne. Lorenzo de Medici was one of the most influential figures in this era due to his unorthodox politics as well as his generous contributions to the world of art. His legacy shall forever be embodied in history.
Davinci, the Black Death, Matthias, they all have shaped life in one way or another. The Renaissance is one of the most unique and rich periods of time in our world history. From about 1300 to 1600 the doctors had a modern, yet old school knowledge of medicine and illnesses. The artist of this time helped shape our culture today and give us a great understanding of the time period. The Rulers of this time were some of the most influential in developing the renaissance. The Renaissance is one of the most unique and rich periods of time in our world history.
Lorenzo De Medici can be considered as one of the most influential men of the 13th century. His work in political affairs and administration were renowned in all Italy and his family could count on him in every aspect. Lorenzo was also a promoter of a new period called Renaissance. He was one of the first “mecenate” to explore this new way of art. In this project, I will concentrate how he developed art in Florence, giving a clear example through an Artist of that period that was working for him: Sandro Botticelli. His work “The Spring” is a well-defined example of what we can call “art in the Renaissance”, in particular for the Italian Renaissance.
Leonardo Da Vinci could be argued as one of the most famous persons in the Renaissance Era and one of the greatest painters to ever live. Leonardo is talented and has made many contribution throught his life. He did so many things such as painting, anatomy , mechanics, and architecture. And he is one of the reasons why the Renaissance era could be regarded at one of the greatest time periods in history.
In this paper I'm focusing mainly on Renaissance art work, since that was the assignment, but I feel it's important to also mention the other important parts of the Renaissance, architecture, science, politics and religion.
The Medici Family was one of the most powerful families of Renaissance Florence. They were a banking family. The first Medici bank, started by Giovanni di Becci de’ Medici, was a small scale business run in the bathroom. The bank grew through Giovanni’s extraordinary salesmanship and financial caution (PBS: Godfathers of the Renaissance). He gave out loans to those who they believed would help the bank persevere and thrive. Known as patrons of the arts, the Medici family funded and encouraged art by Botticelli, Brunelleschi, and Michelangelo. Consequential members of the family such as Giovanni de’ Medici, Cosimo de’ Medici, Lorenzo de’ Medici, and Ferdinando I de’ Medici helped to increase the affluence of Florence during the Renaissance.
The Renaissance, also known as the Middle Ages, is very historic because of the wealth and power that it held. Through economic and political aspects, it flourished into the ripe environment that it is known of today. Although the culture
He perfectly represents the Renaissance, for he made numerous contributions to art, science, and the culture of this time period. Without da Vinci’s influences, today’s society would be drastically different. Artists would not have began using light and perspective to make their works more realistic. Scientists would not have known how the human muscle and skeletal system joined to work so cohesively. The people of Europe would have never seen the many works that da Vinci used to portray his views on culture and daily life. There may be many other artists, philosophers, and authors who made significant contributions during this time, but da Vinci far outweighs all of his competitors. He influenced those around him using every mean of communication that he possibly could. Leonardo da Vinci is the perfect embodiment of a “Renaissance man,” for he used his talents to influence others through art, science, culture, and many other aspects of the
Today, we use the term "Renaissance man" to describe someone who can do many things well. The ideal man of the Renaissance was supposed to be a philosopher, a poet, a scholar, a scientist, an artist, a soldier, and a courtier. One of the most amazing aspects of the Renaissance, is that so many of its prominent figures actually deserved the description.
"Famiglia De Medici: The Extraordinary Story Of The Family That Financed The Renaissance." Business Insider. 6 Dec. 2013. .