Catherine de' Medici

Milan is a large, wealthy city in Northern Italy. The Sforza family have long held power in the city. While in 1499 troops serving Louis XII of France sought to take Milan, the Sforza triumphed in preserving their hold. Preternatural blood flows through the Sforza family's veins, and there are rumors of dragons or demons lurking in their lineage. Numerous intermarriages between the Sforza's and other influential families have taken place, assuring the spread of the family's influence throughout…

In the 15th century, the Medici family ruled over Florence. They were a family of bankers and merchants who rose to power due to their enormous wealth. They were also influential in the art community by being patrons of artists such as Donatello and Michelangelo. Their interest in humanism would have them seek out artists to paint or sculpt classical figures such as Venus from Roman mythology or David from the Bible. They would also help with funding the construction of the Florence…

Renaissance, specifically in Italy in the fifteenth century, the focus on Greek and Roman mythology was revived (Grissom). Also, the Medici family, who was the ruler of Florence, Italy, commissioned work in order to display and solidify “their fame and political power” (Grissom). As a result, there are quite a few pieces that were made to celebrate and give good luck to the Medici. These characteristics are completely different in the 20th century. During the 20th Century, there is a sense of…

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…

Ser 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,…

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…

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…

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…