Art, Money and Power: Medici Patronage in Florence c. 1420-1570 at The Courtauld Institute of Art

Art, Money and Power looks at the Medicis, synonymous with artistic innovation and achievement during the renaissance in Florence. The course examines the art patronage of more than five generations of the dynasty, from the emergence of the family as a political force early in the renaissance, to the establishment of the grand duke dynasty that reigned for almost two centuries. It focuses on the commissions of Cosimo the Elder, Piero the Gouty, Lorenzo the Magnificent, and Cosimo I Grand Duke of Tuscany, in order to consider how the political, religious and social aspirations of individual members of the Medici family shaped the cultural and artistic life of the city. The works of major Florentine artists such as Donatello, Fra Filippo Lippi, Michelangelo and Bronzino are examined in relation to the tastes and aspirations of their patrons, as manifestations of civic pride, devotion, and personal ambition.