Contrary to general belief, the history of the Florentine patriciate did not end with the establishment of the State of Tuscany under de' Medici in 1532. Proud and self-confident patricians did not become subservient courtiers overnight, but remained significantly influential for a long period. They retained their urban identity and longstanding family traditions, while acquiring noble titles, estates, and villas at the same time. The mark that these patricians continued to leave on the city's cultural and artistic life was not ignored by the Medici grand dukes; on the contrary, they embraced these manifestations by incorporating them into their own visual expressions of power and prestige. A Cultural Symbiosis highlights these artistic expressions through eight specific case studies, focusing on the Valori, Pucci, Ridolfi, Vecchietti, Del Nero, Salviati, Guicciardini, and Niccolini families.Contributors: Carla D'Arista (Columbia University), Klazina D. Botke (University of Groningen / Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen), Julia Dijkstra (Museum MORE), Sanne Roefs (Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in The Hague), Henk Th. van Veen (University of Groningen), Bouk Wierda (Classical Academy of Art in Groningen), Andrea Zagli (University of Siena)
Michelangelo’s men are world famous. Everyone knows his David and his The Creation of Adam at the centre of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. His powerful, muscular nudes, precise anatomical drawings and magnificent, androgynous figures left a profound mark on art history.In this book, leading international art historians look at Michelangelo’s men with fresh eyes and from every angle. How was he influenced by classical sculpture and what drew him to the Neoplatonic ideal of perfection and beauty? Did he dissect cadavers himself? What role did models play? And what did the male physique mean to him personally – both in his veneration of Christ’s body and in his intimate friendships with other, frequently young men? This key aspect of his art has never before been placed centre stage.Michelangelo’s exceptional works are reproduced here in all their glory and with numerous details, making this book a visual must-have for every art lover.With contributions from, amongst others, Martin Gayford, Paul Joannides, Michael Rocke, and Jennifer Sliwka.