Cosimo De Medici Research Paper

* Cosimo’s grandson, Lorenzo the Magnificent, ruled Florence in a totalitarian fashion during the last quarter century of the fifteenth century

The Italian Renaissance was a movement that occurred between the 14th and 17th centuries. At the end of the 14th century, a handful of Italian thinkers declared that they were living in a new age. They declared that the barbarous, and unenlightened times were over (also known as the Middle Ages) and that the new age would be a “rinascità” or rebirth of learning and literature, art and culture. The major characteristics or feature of the era when it came to the arts were Classicism, Light & shade, Perspective, Realism & expression, and Emphasis on the human body. When it came to the culture and architecture, and learning they referred to the Greek and romans, and Humanism.

In the beginning the Medici played a prominent part in Florence political life. But the Medici family were Merely one of the several families in Florence fighting for power. Their special status derived from several of activities in Florence Italy. Cosimo De’ Medici earned himself the posthumous title father of the fatherland (Medici Video). History acknowledges his great contribution to funding the arts in Florence and its dome with a genius engineer and artist Filippo Brunelleschi. Cosimo Medici never occupies any official position as head of state he remains a private citizen of Florence. He runs affairs by networks of alliances which benefit his own faction to

Properzia de Rossi was one of the most prolific female sculptors of the 16th century. According to Theresa Schwartz de Rossi was born in 1500 (Schwartz 14) and “… a child prodigy… some of her carvings, accomplished when was eight years old, were collected and preserved” (Schwartz 15). De Rossi would become known not only for her”…intricate carvings on cherry- and peach-stones… [but would] later progressed to sculpting on a larger scale in marble” (Quinn 134). De Rossi produced important public work in Bologna. During a time where many public buildings where under reconstruction, competitions would be held where artist had to compete for commissions. At less than 20 years old, de Rossi would compete in one such competition, for which “… [she] had to make a marble bust of a local nobleman to prove she could sculpt the human form…” (Schwartz 15) she would win this competition and the commission.

Lorenzo de Medici was born on January 1, 1449 in Florence, Italy. "Lorenzo The Magnificent” as he was called by the people of the place he resided was a statesman, ruler, and patron of the arts. "The Magnificent" was truly a common title of respect in Italy at the time, but it was Medici who raised it to special status. The merchant prince Lorenzo de' Medici, came to be the baron of florence at a young age tragically his father Piero died on Dec. 5, 1469, and 2 days later the 20-year-old Lorenzo was asked to become the newest authority figure in Florence. And In 1472 he won the hearts of all Florentines by saving the city from a famine that was imminently deadly. When there was also a bad harvest of that year, it threatened the population

Giovanni di Bicci de Medici established the financial and political power in the Medici family which was maintained and used for 300 years. This power brought great force and strength to the Medici family which they used to become ‘rulers’ of Florence and the wealthiest family in all of Europe.

Andrea de Pozzo, born in 1642 in Trento, Italy, was a famous Italian Jesuit painter, architect, stage designer, and art theoretician of the late seventeenth century. Pozzo specialized in ‘quadratura’and ‘di sotto in su’ techniques; a system of perspective where the focal lines start from the corner and meet each other at the center of the piece. At the age of 17, his father sent him for artistic training under Palma il Giovane. In 1662, he trained under an unrecognized painter from the workshop of Andrea Sacchi, who taught him the techniques of Roman Baroque art. As devoted Pozzo was to his art, he was just as devoted to the church. In 1675, he designed frescos for the church of San Francisco Saverio in Mondovi. Some of his contribution to the church also included ceiling paintings. Pozzo established a strong reputation ceiling he painted in the Church of St. Ignazio which was known as the Glorification of Saint Ignatius (or Nave Fresco).

Cosimo traditionally has been accused of destroying Florentine liberties, these ancient liberties are more of an illusion than a reality, he only had to make the formula of those he was evicting. To not be taken by surprise like the Albizzi, he perfected the system by not changing in the law’s actual administration, but in the spirit of law he changed everything, it was a rule to fill high official positions by drawing lots. The process was manipulated so that only the names of the men who could be depended upon were drawn. The independent mood of the two municipal assemblies neutralized by making an exceptional procedure the rule by dictatorial powers were now granted for a fixed term that

Lorenzo De’Medici, fabulously wealthy, brilliant statesman and equally brilliant patron of the arts. He was quite possibly the greatest single contributor to the Renaissance and it’s fabulous wealth of art. His and his family’s patronage of the arts, amounting to hundreds of thousands of florins allowed artists such as Botticelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo to flourish and thrive, creating some of their greatest works with Medici money. Lorenzo was heir to one of the great fortunes of late medieval Europe, through his family’s ownership of the Medici bank. His grandfather, Cosimo enhanced the bank’s power to its apex and its wealth was declining when Lorenzo came to power, but it was still an immensely wealthy organization. Lorenzo assumed unofficial

Aside from marrying into royal families. The Medici family members were Grand dukes in Florence and Tuscany. Guiliano de’ Medici, Lorenzo the Magnificent’s son was Duke of Nemours. He was awarded with the title by the French king Francis I. Lorenzo de’ Medici, son of Piero the Unfortunate was Duke of Urbino. After the family’s exile he accepted the government role from his uncle Pope Leo X and took over after his uncle, Guiliano de’ Medici. Alessandro the duke of Florence, he was the illegitimate son of Pope Clement VII but Lorenzo de’ Medici was his real father. He was named as Duke of Florence in 1532. Cosmso I was made to be Grand duke of Tuscany after Alessandro was murdered. Francesco I, Grand Duke of Tuscany was the second duke of

Reggio Emilia is a child driven methodology where children are enriched within their environment as well as communication from their peers. Reggio Emilia schooling is an innovative approach for preschoolers and kindergarteners. Teachers are considered co learners with the children. The classroom environment is considered a “third teacher” while the children are seen as obtaining a “hundred languages”. Reggio Emilia schooling can be viewed as an out of the box and unorganized approach to learning due to excluding a written curriculum. Reggio Emilia has been viewed as highly unstructured with a high chance of bullying to develop. Reggio Emilia is an unconventional way of providing students with a manipulative environment including co-learners

With Giovanni’s death in 1429, there were those who tried to capitalize on the opportunity to displace the Medici family from its place in the social and political landscape of the time. One such opportunity was taken with the help of a wealthy rival, the Albizzi family, who put in motion a plot to have Giovanni’s son, Cosimo de Medici, arrested on accusations of treason and banished to Venice. This did not happen without consequences. With Cosimo’s exile he took with him a large source of Florentine capital, the Medici Bank. The Pope intervened and restored the Medici’s to power. Thus began Cosimo’s restoration of Florentine pride and the support of great artists that many admire today.

Illegitimate son of Messer Piero Fruosino di Antonio da Vinci, a craftsman, legal notary, and landlord, and Caterina, a slave to Vanni di Niccolo di Ser Vanni, Ser Piero’s friend and employer, Leonardo da Vinci was born in April 15, 1452 near Vinci, in what is now the Italian region of Tuscany. Many had originally thought that Leonardo da Vinci’s mother was a peasant girl, but 30-year-old research conducted by the late director of the Leonardo Library, published by his son Francesco, suggests a different story:

A hero is commonly defined by actions which help and aid others. Notable heroes sacrifice their own wants for the greater good of others, act courageously, and break the norm. The infamous Don Giovanni in Mozart’s Don Giovanni does not fit the conventional idea of a hero. Although he acts with courage in odd circumstances and appears to adapt radical Enlightenment values, he does not act in the interest of others. As an 18th century womanizer, or libertine, all sacrifices made by Giovanni throughout the plot are to serve his own impulses.

Blessed pier Giorgio Frassati was born in Turin Italy into a prominent family his mum was a painter and his dad owned the liberal newspaper called La Stampa. His father an agnostic, had founded the newspaper. Frassati was He was involved it many groups like Catholic youth and student groups, the Apostleship of Prayer, Catholic Action, and he was a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic. Frassati died in 1925 of poliomyelitis. His family expected Turin's elite and political figures to come to offer their condolences and attend the funeral they naturally expected to find many of his friends