by Elaine Ruffolo

9 -23 September 2025
Tuesdays 18:00-19:30 CET

…Detail of Cavalcade of the Magi, Benozzo Gozzoli, 1438, Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, Firenze

Renaissance Florence was a center of immense wealth, power, and cultural influence. A republican city-state driven by trade and banking, its often-violent political landscape was dominated by powerful mercantile families—the most famous of which were the Medici. This three-part seminar series traces the Medici family's pivotal role in the political, economic, and cultural development of Florence, beginning in the late 14th century with the rise of Giovanni di Bicci,  and continuing through to  the exile of the Medici from Florence during Savanarola's spiritual insurgency at the end of the fifteenth century. Special focus will be given to Cosimo de' Medici (Cosimo the Elder) and Lorenzo de' Medici (Lorenzo il Magnifico), exploring how their patronage and political acumen shaped the course of Renaissance Florence.

The Medici’s support of artists and intellectuals—including Brunelleschi, Donatello, Fra Angelico, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci—was instrumental in fostering the artistic revolution that defined the Renaissance. Through their commissions and cultural investments, the Medici helped make Florence a cradle of artistic innovation and humanist thought, leaving a legacy that would shape Western art and culture for centuries.Recordings will be available for registered participants.

In person lectures in the Library and simultaneously available on Zoom.

Recordings will be available for registered participants only.