Art History: Medicis Patrons of the Arts

The Medicis were huge patrons of the arts. They are responsible for virtually all of the Italian Renaissance art in a way. Their money supported many famous artists and they were not afraid to show it off.

It all began with Pope John the XXIII who chose the small Medici bank to handle the papal finances. This brought the family, specifically Giovanni di Bicci, who ran the bank, into the center of politics and made them very wealthy.

They became involved with the arts when the pope died and Donatello and Michelangelo worked on his tomb.

People complained that the sculpture looked nothing like the pope, but it stayed that way and the Medici family stayed the papal bank .

Giovanni's son Cosimo set standards and recorded everything he supported in his book from 1434-1471. He contributed about 300 million in today's terms to artistic works, charities, and taxes.

Brunellescelli built the Duomo, and cupola of it without scaffolding. Brunelleschi also designed and made mechanisms know as "ingegni" for use of dramas performed in honor of important members of churches who came to Florence. A Russian bishop writes about the dramas of the Annunciation of Our Lady and The Ascension of Christ that he saw. Cosimo also supported Masaccio whose frescoes are in the church of Santa Maria Novella. This is his famous one of Christ on the cross which changed the style of a lot of art because of the new linear perspective he used that made it more realistic. Donatello also worked for Cosimo. Each artist would seek out his own vision and ideas and receive the money from Cosimo. Cosimo also had a huge library, was a politician and is known as the "Father of Florence."