The Medici of Florence: The Art of Politics, Power & Propaganda in the Renaissance
6 October 2026 - 24 November 2026
10.45 – 12.45 Tuesdays
£86.00 – £570.00
Description
The Early Medici and Their Artists: Church & Monastery Commissions
The Medici family, led by Cosimo de’ Medici in the early 1400s, wielded immense economic and political power in Florence. Their patronage extended across architecture, sculpture, painting, and humanist scholarship that defined Renaissance culture. For the Medici, art was more than ornamentation; it was a vital instrument for expressing civic pride, religious devotion, and the legitimacy of their rule. Cosimo de’ Medici, in particular, cultivated relationships with artists whose works adorned both private spaces and public institutions. The Medici’s support was not limited to secular commissions; they played a crucial role in sponsoring religious art, which in turn reinforced their reputation as pious Christians and benefactors of the city.
The Medici in this period:
Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici (1360 – 1429), ruler of Florence from 1421 – 1429
Cosimo di Giovanni de’ Medici (1389 – 1464)
“Incredible Leslie! Your previous series was a total immersion in the wonderful “Arts of the Low Countries”. It was a delight to look at symbolism, mannerism, naturalism, tronies, genre variations – Oh the list goes on! In my view, your best course yet! Looking forward to this one!”
Course Outline
06 Oct 2026 – Fra Angelico (1395 – 1455) & The Medici Patronage
Fra Angelico, born Guido di Pietro, stands among the most celebrated painters of the Early Renaissance, famed for his luminous frescoes and his devout, contemplative approach to religious subject matter. Chief among his patrons were the Medici. This lecture explores Fra Angelico’s early life including his panel paintings and his most significant Medici project – the Dominican Convent of San Marco in Florence (1438 and 1445). Fra Angelico, assisted by a team of collaborators, transformed the convent’s walls into a meditative environment suffused with spiritual symbolism.
13 Oct 2026 – The Life & Medici Patronage of Fra Filippo Lippi (1406 – 1469)
Fra Filippo Lippi stands as one of the most captivating figures of the Italian Renaissance, a painter whose life was as dramatic and colourful as his art. This lecture explores his journey from humble beginnings to monastic life, his rise as a master painter, and the pivotal role played by his patrons, the Medici. Their support was not purely altruistic; it was a strategic investment in the civic identity and prestige of Florence. By elevating artists like Lippi, the Medici signalled their own refinement, piety, and political influence, which in turn shaped both Lippi’s career and the broader trajectory of Renaissance art.
20 Oct 2026 – The Making of Benozzo Gozzoli (1420 – 1497)
Benozzo Gozzoli may not be a household name today but, in his day, and among art historians, he was and is one of the pre-eminent painters of the Italian Renaissance. His art stands as a vibrant testament to the era’s spirit of innovation, devotion, and artistic splendour. Best known for his vibrant, colourful and richly ornamented frescoes and his keen sense of narrative, Gozzoli’s career flourished under the patronage of some of Florence’s most powerful families. This lecture will look at works including the commission that would define his legacy: the celebrated fresco cycle known as the “Procession of the Magi” in the private chapel of the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, Florence.
Eulogising The Medici: Allies And Partisans
Many works of art were made in this period, but although they clearly show signs of Medici involvement or symbols within the works, they were not necessarily commissioned by members of the Medici family. Lectures, 4, 5, and 6 will examine the motivations behind those that commissioned such works and how they relate to the Medici.
The Medici in this period:
Lorenzo di Piero de’ Medici aka il Magnifico (1449 – 1492)
Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici (1463 – 1503)
Piero di Lorenzo de’ Medici, aka the Fatuous or the Unfortunate (1472 – 1503), the firstborn son of Lorenzo de’ Medici and Clarice Orsini (1453 – 1488) and brother of Giovanni de’ Medici, the future Pope Leo X.
Piero de‘Medici (1416–1469), son of Cosimo and father of Lorenzo the Magnificent. He was known as Piero ’il Gottoso‘ (’The Gouty’) because he suffered from the illness.
27 Oct 2026 – The Life & Medici Patronage of Paolo Uccello (1397-1475)
Though best known for his perspective studies, Uccello’s oeuvre spans a range of subjects and styles. His religious frescoes, such as those depicting the Flood and the Creation in Santa Maria Novella, combine Gothic elegance with Renaissance innovation. He also produced altarpieces, portraits, and decorative works, each infused with his signature attention to spatial logic and visual clarity. This lecture delves into his remarkable life and artistic journey. We will explore Uccello’s unique innovations in perspective, his contributions to the evolution of painting, and the crucial role played by the Medici family in nurturing and shaping his legacy.
03 Nov 2026 – Medici Patronage & The Life of Sandro Botticelli (1445 – 1510)
Sandro Botticelli, renowned for his ethereal paintings, emerges from this milieu as both a beneficiary of Medici support and a unique voice who expressed the spiritual and philosophical ideals of his time. Here we explore the intertwined stories of Medici patronage and Botticelli’s life, revealing how the aspirations of a powerful family and the genius of a gifted artist contributed to the flowering of the Renaissance.
10 Nov 2026 – The Medici Patronage of Domenico Ghirlandaio (1448 – 1494)
We will examine the mechanisms of Medici patronage, the social and political climate of Florence, and the ways in which Domenico Ghirlandaio’s artistic vision was both shaped by and contributed to Medici ambitions through a close study of key commissions such as the Sassetti Chapel at Santa Trinita and the Tournabouni Chapel at Santa Maria Novella. Both chapels were sponsored by families closely associated with the Medici, and the artworks served as visual affirmations of their networks and values.
The Art of the Medici Popes & Dukes:
Lectures 7 and 8 take us into the High Renaissance and the apogee of the Medici family. A period in which they would not only realise their ultimate ambition to rule beyond Florence, but also, inadvertently create the phenomena of the superstar artist.
The Medici in this period:
Pope Leo X (1513 – 1521), Pope Clement VII (1523 – 1534), Pope Pius IV (1559 – 1565), Pope Leo XI (1535 – 1605), Alessandro de’ Medici – I Duke of Florence (1510 – 1537), Cosimo I de’ Medici – II Duke of Florence (1519 – 1574)
17 Nov 2025 – The Medici Patronage of Michelangelo (1475 – 1564) & Sebastiano Del Piombo (1485 – 1547)
The Italian Renaissance was a period of astounding artistic achievement, fuelled not merely by innate genius, but also by the powerful support of wealthy and influential patrons whose patronage shaped the careers of numerous artists, including arguably the largest personality of the Renaissance – Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) and his acolyte, Sebastiano del Piombo (1485–1547). From Papel commissions in the Sisteen Chapel and outright hatred of Raphael, to Sebastiano’s monumental Rasing of Lazarus, this lecture explores the nuanced, sometimes turbulent relationships between these artists and their Medici benefactors, tracing the interplay of ambition, rivalry, jealousy, skullduggery and creative vision that defined their era.
24 Nov 2025 – Agnolo Bronzino (1503–1572) & the Medici Family Portraits
Agnolo Bronzino, born Agnolo di Cosimo is celebrated as one of the leading figures of the Italian Mannerist movement. His career flourished under the patronage of the Medici family in Florence, where his refined and highly stylized portraits became emblems of dynastic power, social aspiration, through his ability to psychologically individualise his sitter. His technical mastery—his ability to render textures, fabrics, and flesh with uncanny precision—made him a favourite among the Florentine elite. This lecture will navigate Bronzino’s artistic trajectory, focusing in particular on his iconic portraits of the Medici family, and explore the interplay between art and authority in Renaissance Florence.