They shaped what we know as Tuscany and changed the landscape of Florence. Following their arrival on the stage of Florence over five hundred years ago, they brought forth a massive output of fine art, architecture and even science, thanks to their support and patronage.

1. Tuscany’s Heritage: The Legacy of the Medici Family
Posted by Eddie Reason - Guest Blogger on 29th, October 2012
Tuscany’s Heritage: The Legacy of the Medici Family
Visiting Tuscany is a treat for travellers. You get to experience natural beauty, the highest concentration of
renaissance art in the world which is still protected in its place of birth, as well as stunning architecture, and the
amazing wine and food for the region. What you might not realise is just how much of this is thanks to one Italian
ruling family: the Medici family.
They shaped what we know as Tuscany and changed the landscape of Florence. Following their arrival on the stage
of Florence over five hundred years ago, they brought forth a massive output of fine art, architecture and even
science, thanks to their support and patronage.
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The Family Held Art in Highest Regard
The family rose to power in Florence in the 15th century. Giovanni Medici set up the famous Medici Bank in the heart
of the city, bringing with it the double ledger system that’s the basis of all modern business, and the advocacy of
proportional taxes depending on earnings. The great success and popularity of the family lead them to become
basically the heads of the city, and then the region of Tuscany, in the same century.
From this position the family began to devote money to architectural restoration in the city, and the patronage of
individual artists. These conditions, which suddenly meant talented artists were of great worth and had time and
freedom to devote to their best possible efforts, lead directly to the Florentine Renaissance.
From there the renaissance spread across Europe. It’s hard to emphasise just how important this was to the
development of Europe and European ideas.
The whole culture up until this point was trapped in the shadow of Classical achievements. The common feeling was

3. that true civilisation had passed, and that what was left was meagre survival and waiting for the apocalypse. The
Medici’s investment in art and progress meant that suddenly there was a symbol of things being done better than
ever, right in the heart of the continent. This feeling of optimism and ambition fed directly into the modern age.
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Medici Patronage Included Some of the Greatest Artists of the Era
Medici patronage at one time or another included Donatello, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, which speaks for
itself. Without a rich patron artists couldn’t make much of a living in these times. It’s also remarkable that Galileo, one
of the most important scientists of the early modern age, was employed by the Medici family as a home tutor, and
was protected from execution by their influence when he proposed that Earth was not the centre of the universe.
Not everyone welcomed the wealth and lavish investment of the Medici family, and in fact a lot of the work they
patronised was destroyed by puritans in the famous bonfire of the vanities, or decried by critics later as too grotesque
in its splendour, but it’s undeniable that the central attractions of Florence today – the Uffizi and the Belvedere to
name two – would not have been possible without them. And many of the greatest works that they contain owe tribute
to that family too.

4. Thanks to Eddie Reason for this post. Eddie loves to visit Tuscany and blogs regularly about his visits to the various
Tuscany villas.