The Medici: Patrons and Artists in Early Renaissance Florence ACM Florence Program
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The Medici: Patrons and Artists in Early Renaissance Florence ACM Florence Program Winter Semester 2019 Dr. Josephine Rogers Mariotti [email protected]; cell: 3403019804 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ At the debut of the 15th century, Florence was at the crossroads of two artistic ages: the last phase of the flourishing International Gothic Style and the burgeoning “new style” of Florentine origin, both intricately tied to the humanist movement underway since at least the beginning of the preceding century. The Medici and other corporate, religious and private patrons are intrinsic to this history. Their interests and aspirations are reflected in the transformations in style that constitute the Renaissance style in the arts originating in Florence at that point of development. The course intends to explore: the art produced under the auspices of the Medici and other members of Florentine society who share their common culture; the relationship of each patron to the artists employed; the connection between the art sponsored and the personal philosophy and persona of both patron and artist; the reciprocal interactions of patronage and art production with contemporary history, culture and philosophy. A choice of salient episodes of artistic patronage in Florence from the time of Cosimo de' Medici to the “golden age" of his grandson Lorenzo il Magnifico will furnish an ample view of the 15th century cultural and artistic milieu in which the Renaissance style in the arts was born. Our focus will then shift to the transformations underway at the end of the century when Florence enters a period of political and spiritual upheaval that pervaded all of Italy. Interesting to note, the response to this period of crisis on the part of patrons and artists was the creation of some of the greatest masterpieces of all time. Our investigations will lead us outside Florence where, for example, the case of the Sistine chapel history spanning two generations of artists under papal patronage will be our focus: the team of painters sent by Lorenzo il Magnifico to Sixtus IV and the subsequent intervention of the Florentine Michelangelo Buonarroti. It is with the Vatican cycles of Michelangelo and Raffaello that we return again full circle to the Medici and the papacy Leo X, son of Lorenzo il Magnifico, whose patronage within his native city Florence will bring the course to a close. Regular meetings fall on the days and at the times indicated on the schedule below. Meeting times are scheduled in accordance to museum and monument openings. When we convene on site rather than in the classroom, please plan your route and estimate travel time carefully to ensure prompt arrival. Dress for conditions and be forewarned that 1) many times you will have little or no opportunity to sit 2) churches are not heated or air-conditioned 3) museums are minimally heated and air-conditioned 4) there are strict dress codes for entering religious sites 5) we cannot reschedule because of unfavorable conditions. As indicated in the schedule, the sessions are usually 11/2-2 hour blocks of time. On the few occasions that the session exceeds those limits, there will be a break mid-way through the session. Due to the nature of the requirements, plan to meet with the professor regularly in groups and singly outside of class time. Grading: • Attendance is mandatory. Unexcused absences (all should be notified to the instructor) will result in lowering your overall grade; more than 2 absences may seriously compromise your ability to pass the course. ● Class participation is calculated as a component of your grade (see percentage below). Command of assigned readings and basic manual preparation as well as participation in discussion is expected. Tardiness or obvious disinterest (sleeping in class, improper use of computer/phones during class (navigating internet, carrying on private conversations during class) will affect grades negatively. ● Mandatory readings, illustrations and other didactic materials can be found on the ACM Florence google.doc site. Some readings are available in hard copy in the designated reserve section in the library. These copies must be checked out and checked back properly, unmarked and in otherwise good condition. Printing out readings provided electronically on the Google site is possible but you must supply your own paper; consider sharing the print outs in order not to waste paper. ● Books from the ACM library placed on reserve for the course can only be removed from ACM library at Linguaviva, 4th floor, over night. They must be checked out properly late in the afternoon and returned early the next morning. ● Plagiarism will be cause for a failing grade. Grading for the course is based on a scale of 100 points. See grade equivalents below. In fairness to your peers, late work is not allowed. When the deadline has passed, expect considerable reduction in your grade. To ensure parity, all written assignments must be presented in hard copy or electronic copy on or before the deadline. Grading Equivalencies: A: 94-100 B-: 80-82 D+: 67-69 A-: 90-93 C+: 77-79 D: 63-66 B+: 87-89 C: 73-76 D-: 60-62 B: 83-86 C-: 70-72 F: 0-59 Requirements: All assignments must be completed in full before you leave Florence in order to pass the course. Please follow the assignment indications provided in the relative rubrics. • Participation (attendance, punctuality and engagement): 25 points • 2 written presentations (1500 words each; see rubrics): 15 points each – total 30 points • One brief (5-7 minutes) oral report Lives of the Artists (to be assigned): 5 points • Final written and oral presentation on an episode of patronage and collecting in Florence during the 15th or early 16th century: total 40 points: ● 10 points (preliminary oral powerpoint presentation March 14 in-class session); ● 30 points (final written component (2500/3000 words; see rubric) due March 15 by 17:00. For general survey of art development in 15th and early 16th century Florence you can consult the following texts available in the ACM Library. For course readings, see Weekly Readings List (all texts are available on the ACM Florence website) ● F. Hartt, History of Italian Renaissance Art, New York, various editions, [sections: Il Quattrocento, Il Cinquecento. There are multiple copies on reserve in the library]. Recommended to check one out per household for the term. ● G. Brucker, Renaissance Florence, L.A., 1969 for review of contemporary Florentine history. Recommend to check one out per student for the term. ● Charles Avery, Florentine Renaissance Sculpture, London, 1993. [There are multiple copies on reserve in the library]. ● J. Pope-Hennessey, Italian Renaissance Sculpture, Phaidon, New York-London, 1963. The Medici: Patrons and Artists in Renaissance Florence Tentative Weekly Schedule This is a tentative schedule that may undergo changes. You will be advised of all changes via WhatsApp, email and by announcements posted at Linguaviva. Students are responsible for checking updates MEET AT FIRST MONUMENT MENTIONED AT DESIGNATED TIME Week I (4): Early Quattrocento Patronage January 28: Monday 9:30-12:00 San Lorenzo//Palazzo Medici January 31: Thursday 9:30-12:00 San Marco Week II (5): Cosimo de’ Medici as patron and humanist February 5: Tuesday 14:30-16:30 In-class session following Venice Orientation February 7: Thursday 9:30-12:00 Bargello National Museum February 8-9: Venice overnight trip (see schedule) Week III (6): Piero di Cosimo, Giovanni Rucellai and ‘ornata prospettiva’ of the mid-century February 12: Tuesday 14:30-16:30 Uffizi (meet: 3rd floor inside Gallery; use pass individually) February 14: Thursday 9:30-12:00 San Miniato//SS. Annunziata Week IV (7): Lorenzo ‘Il Magnifico’: the ‘neo-Platonic academy’ and Garden of San Marco February 19: Tuesday 14:00-17:30 SMNovella//S. Trinita February 21: Thursday 9:30-12:00 Bargello//Casa Buonarroti Week V (8): Rome and Florence February 26: Tuesday 15:30-17:00 Galleria dell’Accademia (following Rome orientation) February 28-March 2: Rome overnight trip (see schedule) Week VI (9): Vasari’s Third Age: the making of the ‘High Renaissance’ March 5: Tuesday 14:30-16:30 Uffizi (meet: 3rd floor inside Gallery; use pass individually) March 6: Wednesday 9:30-12:00 Medici Chapels//Laurentian Library (note schedule change) Week VII (10): The later Medici March 12: Tuesday 14:30-16:30 Palazzo Pitti: Museo degli Argenti, Galleria Palatina March 14: Friday 15:00-17:00 Final oral discussions Final paper due March 15 at 17:00 .