Florentine Patricians and Their Networks

Elisa Goudriaan (1981) graduated in Romance Languages and Cultures and Art History at the University of Groningen. She completed her PhD thesis at Leiden University. She currently works as an archival researcher, author, and translator.

"an impressive scholarly achievement"Nicholas Terpstra, University of Toronto, in Renaissance Quarterly LXXII.4 (doi:10.1017/rqx.2019.427)“This excellent study not only helps to counter a previous limited understanding of the Florentine patriciate in the ‘forgotten centuries’, but also invites the reader to develop this new understanding further by examining other key figures and other networks of influence operating in seventeenth-century Tuscany.” Konrad Eisenbichler, University of Toronto. In: Sixteenth Century Journal, Vol. 50, No. 2 (Summer 2019), pp. 552–554.

• List of IllustrationsAbbreviations and SpellingAcknowledgementsIntroductionThe Traditional ViewA New ViewPeriodization, Methodology, and StructureSocial NetworksArchival Research in Florence and RomeInsights into a Rich Cultural and Intellectual World1. Florentine Patricians and Their Changing Social and Political Position (1530-1670)Introduction1.1 The Forming of the Duchy of the Medici in Florence291531-1537 - The Reign of the First Duke Alessandro de’ Medici and Changing Political Institutions1.2 The Nomination of Duke Cosimo I, the Patricians’ Loss of Political Power, the Arrival of Non-Florentine Courtiers and The Patricians’ Quest to Regain Political Influence (1537-1609)Cosimo’s Quest for Political IndependenceThe Patricians’ Counterquest for Political Recognition1.3 The Patricians’ Run on Noble Titles, Their Social Domination over the ‘Uomini Nuovi’ and Their Growing Political Power (1609-1670)1.4 Social and Economic Power of Seventeenth-Century Patricians1.5 The Patricians’ Contribution to the Economic Stability of Tuscany in the Seventeenth Century1.6 Cittadini or Noble Courtiers?1.7 Patrician Careers in Tuscany, Rome and MaltaConclusion2. Florentine Patricians in Their Role as Ambassadors and Chamberlains and Their Influence on the Social and Cultural Representation of the Medici in Florence, Rome and at Other CourtsIntroduction2.1 Patricians as Diplomats2.2 Patricians as Ambassadors2.2.1 Giovanni Niccolini (Tuscan Ambassador in Rome from 1587 until 1610)Food GiftsOther Gifts of Grand Duke Ferdinand IVisitors in the Garden of Villa MediciThe Issue of Precedence: the Entry of the New Ambassador Piero Guicciardini in RomeThe Preliminary ConcernsThe Medici and the Savoy: the Conflict of PrecedenceA Precedence Issue of 1608: Don Antonio de’ Medici Visits MantuaThe Actual Arrival of Piero Guicciardini as the New Ambassador2.2.2 Piero Guicciardini (Tuscan Ambassador in Rome from 1611 until 1621)Socializing with Cardinals and Other Prominent Persons in RomeThe Acquisition of Paintings for the Medici CourtThe Elsheimer-tabernacleCardinal Carlo de’ Medici Travels to Rome (1616)2.2.3 Other Patrician Ambassadors and Their Direct Influence on the Course of Events at the Court of Madrid and RomeFrancesco Guicciardini and His Advice for Cultural Gifts at the Court of MadriFrancesco Niccolini (Tuscan Ambassador in Rome from 1621 until 1643) and the Palazzo Madama on the Campo Marzio in Rome2.3 A Florentine Patrician as Chamberlain of a Medici Prince and His Influence on the Social Representation of the Medici in Rome: Filippo Niccolini and His Decisions Regarding the Entry of Cardinal Giovan Carlo de’ Medici into Rome (1645)The Decoration of the Carriage: Polished or Gilded Ironwork?The Uniforms and the Ceremonial Mace: Recycling, but Not Too ObviousThe Decoration of Palazzo Madama77The Public Entry of Cardinal Giovan Carlo de’ Medici into Rome (1645)Conclusion3. Patricians as Patrons and Collectors During the Reigns of Ferdinand I, Cosimo II, the Regents and Ferdinand II de’ MediciIntroduction3.1 Patricians as Patrons and Collectors During the Reigns of Ferdinand I and Cosimo II de’ Medici3.1.1 Giovanni Niccolini (1544-1611)The Niccolini Chapel in Santa CroceThe Niccolini Palace and Giovanni’s Collection of Paintings, Sculptures and Coins3.1.2 Piero Guicciardini (1569-1626)The Guicciardini Chapel in Santa FelicitaThe Guicciardini Palace and the Collection of Art3.1.3 Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger (1568-1647)The First Three Rooms of the Galleria BuonarrotiSome Contemporary Decoration Cycles of the Medici and Influences of the Galleria Buonarroti on the Decoration of Casino MediceoThe Fourth Room of the Galleria Buonarroti, Buonarroti’s Attempt to Build Up an Antique Sculpture Collection, and Pietro Da Cortona’s Stay in FlorenceBuonarroti’s Influences on the Patronage of Grand Duke Ferdinand II3.1.4 Niccolò dell’Antella (1560-1630)3.2 Patricians as Patrons and Collectors During the Reigns of the Regents and Ferdinand II de’ Medici3.2.1 Giovan Battista Strozzi the Younger (1596-1636)His Art Collection and the Interest of the Medici and Patricians for Paintings with Literary Themes3.2.2 Tommaso Guadagni (1582-1652)The Guadagni Palace3.2.3 Giovanni (1600-1661) and Lorenzo (1602-1656) di Jacopo CorsiThe Corsi VillaThe Corsi Palace and the Difference Between the Decoration of the Palace and the Villa3.2.4 Filippo Niccolini (1586-1666)The Montauto CastleVilla Camugliano and the Niccolini PalaceConclusion4. The Shared Cultural World of the Medici Princes and the Florentine Patricians: Musical Performances, European Networks, and Cultural AcademiesIntroductionPart I4.1 Giovanni de’ Medici and the Alterat4.2 Giovan Carlo de’ Medici and Filippo Niccolini4.2.1 Niccolini as Supervisor of Giovan Carlo’s Cultural Projects4.2.2 Niccolini’s Correspondence with Musicians: New Baroque Influences from Rome The Unknown Copyist Vannucci Sends Ariettas by Caproli and Carissimi to FlorenceMarco Marazzoli and His Recitatives for Antonio RivaniA Private Music Academy at the Palazzo and Villa of Marchese Niccolini?4.2.3 Niccolini’s Contacts to Clients of Queen Christina of Sweden4.3 Leopoldo de’ Medici (1617-1675) and His Cultural Contact with Florentine PatriciansThe Acquisition of Books and Works of Art on PaperLeopoldo’s Interest in the Theatre Life at Different Italian CourtsRelations with European Men of lettersPart II4.4 Patricians, Artists, and Their Literary, Linguistic, and Theatrical Experiments at Florentine Cultural Academies and Confraternities4.4.1 Literary and Linguistic AcademiesThe ApatistiThe Svogliati, the Crusca and Burlesque Poems Influenced by the Literary AcademiesThe Pastori Antellesi4.4.2 Theatrical AcademiesThe Incostanti, the Improvvisi/Percossi, the Affinati, and the SorgentiTheatrical Performances at the Youth Confraternity Arcangelo RaffaelloConclusion5. The Brokerage Activities of Michelangelo Buonarroti The Younger and the Exchange of Cultural Gifts155IntroductionPart I5.1 Social Networks5.2 Patronage NetworksPatrons, Clients, and FriendsDyadic, Non-Corporate Groups5.3 Brokerage NetworksBrokerage Networks in TheoryHow Did a Broker Make Profit?Dyadic Chains5.4 Maintaining Patronage Relationships: Exchanging Courtesies and GiftsPart II5.5 The Social Network of Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger5.6 The Exchange of Gifts and Genealogical Information Between Buonarroti and Florentine Patricians at Different Italian and European CourtsBooks, Manuscripts, and Genealogical InformationPoems and SongsFood GiftsBuonarroti’s Own Works as Gifts5.7 The Brokerage Activities of Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger5.7.1 Social and Geographic Mobility of Artists5.7.2 Cultural Brokerage Services and Arranging GiftsArranging a Diplomatic Gift for the Cardinal Infante Ferdinand of Austria5.7.3 Improving Patron-Client Contacts and Bringing Commissions to CompletionThe Commission of ‘Judith’ (Cristofano Allori) for Cardinal Alessandro OrsiniThe Commission of ‘Latona and Her Children’ (Domenico Pieratti) for Cardinal Francesco Barberini5.7.4 Job RequestsConclusion6. The Patricians’ Contribution to Cultural Events the Medici Organised for Public Ceremonies and in Honour of Visiting GuestsIntroduction6.1 Theatre Plays in Honour of Visiting Guests6.1.1 Theatre Plays in Honour of Fakhr ad-Din6.1.2 Theatre Plays in Honour of Other Important Guests6.2 The Patricians’ Contribution to the Organisation of Memorial CeremoniesThe Memorial Ceremonies of 1598, 1610, and 16126.3 The Patricians’ Contribution to the Organization of MarriagesThe Marriages of 1600 and 1608Descriptions of Marriages and Memorial CeremoniesThe Marriages of 1637 and 1661ConclusionConclusionAppendicesAppendix I: Archival Sources Referring to Chapter 2Appendix II: Archival Sources Referring to Chapter 4Appendix III: Archival Sources Referring to Chapter 5Appendix IV: Archival Sources Referring to Chapter 6GlossaryBibliographyIndex of Historical Persons