Florence, Italy was a city just like any other during the Renaissance. It was city of 50,000 people, less than there were in Paris and Venice but more than most other European cities. The busiest parts of the city were the Ponte Vecchio, a place lined with markets and houses, the neighborhood of the Orsanmichele and Mercato Vecchio, or the Old Market. Florence was a place of beauty and leisure. A Venetian visitor once said, “There is in my opinion no region more sweeter than that wherein Florence is a placed for Florence is situated in a plain surrounded on all sides by hills and mountains…And the hills are fertile cultivated, pleasant…” (Unger, pg. 1). Florence was a very prosperous city; it made fortunes off of wool and banking trades. A certain Florentine family contributed to the vast wealth as well. The Medici family was no doubt the foundation of prosperity for Florence.
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.
Giovanni di Becci de’ Medici
It would be a lie to say that Giovanni de’ Medici was the first in his f...
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...use of these patrons of the arts.
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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 to their significant influence of Renaissance Humanist thinking. On top of this, although the Medici family were allegedly corrupt and supposedly paid many bribes in order to become so powerful, they still focused on benefiting the heart of the Renaissance- the city-state of Florence- and should thus not be considered the great villains of the Renaissance, but instead the heroes.
U Mcllvenna, Scandal and Reputation at the Court of Catherine de Medici, University of Sydney
Lemaitre, Alain J., and Erich Lessing. Florence and the renaissance: the quattrocento. paris: Terrail, 1993.
... it dispels all doubts about its greatness and converts former disbelievers to the truth” (27a). There are obviously many reasons why Florence is a wonderful city, but according to Pitti and Dati there is nothing about the city as amazing as Bruni makes it out to be. Bruni never truly speaks of the “combination of misfortunes--wars, internal upheavals, pestilence, famine--which seriously damaged the economy” (Brucker 13). Pitti and Dati were not writing for the sole reason of praising Florence, but they also do not go out of their way to mention its many qualities. Unfortunately, Bruni never writes directly about money or business, whereas most of what Pitti and Dati write about are only those subjects. Overall, Bruni offers a much different perspective of Florence in his Panegyric to the City of Florence, than the views Pitti and Dati offer in their diaries.
...y brought in many Greek sources. The Medici's also started the Platonic Academy which supported Renaissance artists by feeding, educating, and providing them with necessities to live. Some of these were well known artists such as Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael. Because of the Medici family Florence became known as the cultural center of Europe and cradle of New Humanism. For a century they maintained total authority in Florence behind the popular forms of a republic.
Lorenzo de Medici is one of the most important figures in the history of Italy. He lived and reigned during the golden age of the Renaissance in Florence in the late fifteenth century. Although not from a royal family or appointed to the throne, he held much political power as the ruler of Florence. Unlike the rulers of his day, he was among the few to directly immerse in the arts by commissioning works with some of the artists that led one of the most important eras in the world: the Italian Renaissance. 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. Because of these two themes, Lorenzo was the main proponent that helped start the Renaissance, and influenced Italian life thereafter.
He was the first of the Medici political dynasty during the majority of the Renaissance. Giovanni was the founder of the Medici Bank which lead to the Medici supremacy. Unlike the rest of the medici family, Giovanni had to work extremely hard for money. He was born into a home with five siblings putting him in a position with no financial support. Vieri di Cambio de’ Medici taught Giovanni everything he needed to know about banking. Vieri owned his own bank chain from 1348 to 1392 in Europe. Once Vieri retired Giovanni created the Medici bank in 1397 in Florence and a branch in Rome. Due to the booming success of the first Medici bank, three more branches opened in Rome, Venice, and Florence. In 1402 Giovanni opened a wool factory. Six years later a new factory was opened for trading spices, olive oil, jewelry, and other goods. Soon after that there was a fourth Medici Bank branch open in Naples and Gaeta. Giovanni setup success for his family after marrying and having kids with business skyrocketing. Giovanni died at age 69. He had given the majority of control of the bank to his two sons, Cosimo and Lorenzo to carry on the family
January 1, 1449 was a day that the whole city of Florence would soon never forget that led them to be the most powerful city in all of Italy. Lorenzo de Medici was the baby that would control the city of Florence and lead Florence into a great state of royalty. Born into a family of powerful bankers that ruled Florence Lorenzo would soon enough lead the city and soon be called "il Magnifico". From mentoring of childhood to the ruling of adulthood Lorenzo was a light to the people in Florence.
“I’ll be out of here and away from all you knaves for one time anyway, as not a month will pass before you’ll see whether I’m nobody or a somebody.” The story of Bianco Alfani reflected the nature of 14th century Florentine society where, as Alfani remarked, the election to public office could make or destroy a person. In late 14th century and early 15th century Florence, decreased population and expanding commerce provided a favorable environment for ambitious individuals. The real life examples of Buonaccorso Pitti and Gregorio Dati demonstrated the positive role of ambition in Florence. Pitti, a nobleman had an extremely successful career, partaking in military campaigns, holding public office in Florence and being an ambassador to foreign courts. Gregorio Dati, the grandson of purse venders, engaged in commerce, rising in social standing which culminated with his election to public office. Holding office was a definitive sign of success and recognition in Florence. In contrast was the tale Bianco Alfani, a deemed man unworthy of office. As told by Piero Veneziano, Alfani was the chief jailor in Florence who was duped into believing he had been named captain of the town of Norcia. Alfani publicly made a fool of himself, spending all his money and creating a great fanfare over his supposed appointment. Comparing the lives of Pitti and Dati to the story of Bianco Alfani illustrates how economic and social change in 14th century Florence produced a culture centered on reputation and commerce. For men like Pitti and Dati, who flourished within the constraints of Florentine society, their reward was election to office, a public mark of acceptance and social standing. Those who were ambitious but failed to abide by the values o...
Florence played a big role in the Renaissance, because it is where it all began. It is often known as the ''birthplace'' of the Renaissance. Florence had much wealth and power at that time and had many influential people in society and politics. Florence was also strong economically.
The early period of Renaissance Florence was a very significant time for the Italian city-state. Especially after all of the hardships the city had to endure, such as the plague and territorial wars. An increase in trade and a decrease in population helped many citizens move up in the social ladder. Some becoming artisans and others even going as far as becoming merchants. Merchants were known to have vast amounts of wealth, but some people did not entirely approve of the merchant class because they believed that merchants were cheap and untrustworthy. No matter what the opinion of the merchants was, they still greatly influenced the late medieval and early Renaissance periods. Even those who did not come from famous families (like Medici) still significantly impacted not only Florence’s economy, but they also helped contribute to the Renaissance period that helped Florence become
The Medici’s were wool merchants and later bankers who used their money and power to build the city of Florence and to promote the study of literature, art and the concepts of Humanism. The Medici family contributed significantly to the European and Italian Renaissance. Their role as a family was to build Florence and make it into a prosperous city; in which they had succeed in. They worked as Bankers, leaders of the renaissance, and
Through historical and economic data this research paper will express how Florence flourished from a mercantile economy in the Renaissance.
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.
"Famiglia De Medici: The Extraordinary Story Of The Family That Financed The Renaissance." Business Insider. 6 Dec. 2013. .