The Medici Grand Dukes of the 16th century

with Freya Middleton

The Medici ruled Florence for about 300 years, both unofficially whilst working as bankers in the 1400s and then officially holding the title of Grand Duke from the mid-1500s onwards. These three talks will concentrate on  the first three Medici Grand Dukes, Cosimo, Francesco and Ferdinando de Medici. All three were great devotees of art, science and beauty, continuing the grand tradition of  patronage and collecting that their ancestors from the previous century had undertaken so passionately. Each of these Grand Dukes had their own particular area of interest, but they never lost sight of the political value of soft power derived from strategic patronage and cultural investment to strengthen their image and control.

Join us in a deep dive back to the late sixteenth century in Florence through the lens of the artistic patronage of these three fascinating Medici Grand Dukes.

7 -21 April 2026
Tuesdays, 18:00-19:30

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

Recordings will be available for registered participants.