What did the Medicis do for us?
Famous works of art and architecture from Florence’s ‘first family’
The Birth Of Venus
It’s been suspected that Sandro Botticelli’s famous depiction of Venus was originally commissioned by the Medici family between 1485 and 1486. However, since the painting was kept secret due to its not being a strictly Christian work of art and was not mentioned until the 1550s, it’s hard to pin down its exact lineage. What we do know is that Botticelli was a favourite of the family and a frequent guest in their home.
The Last Judgement
Michelangelo was another favourite artist of the Medici family and while they were not responsible for his work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, it was a Medici pope in Clement VII who had him work on the altar wall of the Chapel in 1536. Clement had actually been a childhood friend of Michelangelo’s, further showing the degree to which the art world and the Florentine family were deeply connected.
David
This bronze statue by Donatello was most likely commissioned by his friend Cosimo de’ Medici, and his representation of David predates the more famous marble work by Michelangelo by at least 50 years. It was the first bronze male nude and the first free-standing statue since antiquity. At the time of its making David was seen as a symbol for Florence itself, a scrappy upstart city without a duke, defending itself against mightier enemies.
Procession of the Magi
Commissioned by the father of the Medici family line himself, Cosimo, from Benozzo Gozzoli, this work is stretched across three walls of the main room of the Palazzo Mediciriccardi. Each represents one of the Three Kings going to visit Christ and took about
150 days to produce. Within the works are depictions of members of the Medici family and the artist himself, with Cosimo shown astride a donkey – which is something he did in reality as a sign of his humility.