Today Florence, Italy is a bustling city that is home to over 360,000 inhabitants, as well as a tourist destination for about 9 million annual visitors. Nevertheless, during the Middle Ages, a time historians place from about 400-1200 AD, Florence was a hotbed of disease, most notably the Black Death which swept across all of Europe in waves, killing nearly 1/3 of its entire population. It was not until the 13th century that one prominent family of the area, the Medici kin, sought to bring Florence out of the depths of what seemed to be its worst despair.
Most notable to the Medici clan was Lorenzo de Medici, whose statue rests in the center of the city, but the entire family made contributions that would impact Italian society to this present day. Being some of the most prominent members of Florentine society, the Medicis commissioned many great artists such as Donatello, Raphael and Fra Angelico, to create works of art that would commemorate Italy for generations to come. Though commissions were somewhat of a push to pull Florence out of the “Dark Ages,” an often prerogative term used to describe Medieval Europe, the requests also served as a way to flaunt the very fact that the Medici clan were indeed lords of the area. Today many of the artworks can be found in the 65 museums that are located in Florence.
Perhaps one of the most famous artistic creations is that of the “Last Judgment” of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo. Commissioned by Pope Clement VIII, a Medici by birth, this scene depicts the outlook of the final moments of humanity as portrayed in the book of Revelation in the Christian Bible. Though Michelangelo considered himself a sculptor and not a painter, he was commissioned for this work. Never fully satisfied with his creation, Michelangelo died not knowing the full impact that this painting would have on the future generations. Each year millions of tourists, both Catholic and non-Catholic flock to Vatican City to see this pictorial creation of the final judgment.
Another present day credit to the Medici family is the Florentine leather boxes that are still hand made in the same fashion as they were in the 1500s. This credit can be awarded the feminine side of the Medici kin, Catherine de Medici. When she was sent to marry Henry II of France, some of her dowry jewels were sent with her in the seamless leather boxes that were native to her homeland. It was said that these boxes were to allow her to carry with her some of the comforts of home. Present day Florentines today state that Henry II was so enamored with the technique used to make the boxes that he commissioned several others as well as additional leather goods made in the same skill as the boxes. With the fashion sense of Henry’s court wielding a great deal of influence in France and the Medici family carrying a great deal of clout within the region of Florence, the popularity of these boxes and methods of leather working caught on as a bit of a trend. Soon many other prominent figures of society were ordering leather goods prepared in the same style of the noble families. Today, the tradition continues in Florence, where some of the finest leather goods in the world can be found, hand crafted and fashioned in the style of the Medici preference.
Florence, Italy was once the site of mass disease and death. Thanks to the wealthy Medici family, Florentine society floated into the Renaissance, and left behind many cultural icons that are still recognized as being unique to the region.
 |
 |
 |
