[Imi Hye's Reading Western Art History Through Paintings] Medici Family's Masterpiece Collection... Capturing the Renaissance on Canvas

Im Mi-hye, Art Historian and Adjunct Professor at Kyungsung University

In the summer of 1772, Queen Charlotte of England, wife of King George III, ordered Johann Zoffany (1733?1810), a German-born British painter, to paint the Tribuna of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. The Tribuna is an octagonal room located on the top floor of the Uffizi Gallery. Its dome ceiling was decorated with thousands of mother-of-pearl shells, and the walls were covered with red velvet fabric, making it extremely luxurious. It displayed ancient medals, small sculptures, jewels, and rare minerals. Zoffany returned with the completed painting only in 1779.

Zoffany, exercising his artistic discretion, selected masterpieces from the Medici Collection housed in the Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti Palace and gathered them in the Tribuna. On the floor, centered around Titian Vecellio’s Italian Renaissance masterpiece 'Venus of Urbino,' were ancient sculptures such as 'Medici Venus' and 'The Grinder.' The walls were densely hung with paintings by Renaissance masters including Raphael Sanzio, as well as artists from the Bolognese school like Annibale Carracci and Guido Reni. Works by Hans Holbein and Peter Paul Rubens were also visible.

Zoffany even included visitors in the painting. British gentlemen on their Grand Tour are depicted admiring the artwork. During the 18th century, it was fashionable among European aristocracy to travel to Italy for several months, and visiting the Uffizi Gallery was an essential part of the itinerary.

Zoffany’s painting was unveiled at the Academy in 1780 and received high praise. However, King George III and Queen Charlotte seemed not to have liked it very much. Zoffany had stayed in Italy for seven years funded by the British royal family. The king was displeased by rumors that Zoffany had painted for the Austrian emperor during his stay. Queen Charlotte expressed displeasure that Grand Tourists were inserted into the painting. The royal couple had never visited Italy and were likely only interested in an accurate depiction of the Tribuna.

First opened to the public in the mid-18th century, the Uffizi Gallery became the envy of all Europe. European monarchs, inspired by this, began to open their own collections to the public one after another.

The Medici Collection began to take shape in earnest from the mid-16th century. The 15th-century Medici rulers supported artists and treated them with respect, but they were more interested in books, ancient coins, and jewels than paintings or sculptures. The first Medici ruler with power, the 'Great Cosimo' (Cosimo de’ Medici, 1389?1464), devoted himself to collecting manuscripts. His son, Piero de’ Medici, was absorbed in collecting ancient coins, jewels, and rare books. Paintings, which were much cheaper than jewels, were not considered an investment. Cosimo’s grandson, Lorenzo de’ Medici, was famous for recognizing the talent of the young Michelangelo early on. Lorenzo purchased jewels, vases, and ancient sculptures as part of his artist support fund.

Johann Zoffany, "The Tribuna of the Uffizi," 1777, 123.5x155 cm (Royal Collection, London, UK)

By the late 15th century, the Medici family owned 139 artworks, hundreds of books, countless jewels, coins, cameos (hard jewels carved in relief and set into glass imitations or mollusk shells, or imitations thereof), vases, and more. Although not a very large collection, it is clear that they had more rare treasures than artworks. When the Medici family was expelled from Florence in 1494, these artworks and treasures were scattered.

The Medici family ruled Florence like kings for about 300 years from the 15th century to the early 18th century, enjoying wealth and power. However, their journey was not always smooth. Surrounded by rival factions and hostile nations looking for opportunities to invade, maintaining power was not easy.

The Medici’s rule was marked by assassinations, conspiracies, conflicts, and wars. Cosimo himself seized power after imprisonment and exile. Lorenzo lost his brother Giuliano to assassins sent by the Pazzi family in 1478 and narrowly escaped death himself. The Medici were forced into exile in 1494 after losing power.

Florence surrendered to the invasion of King Charles VIII of France in 1492. The newly enthroned 20-year-old ruler of Florence accepted the demands of the French king with a submissive attitude, which angered the citizens. As a result, the Medici were expelled from Florence and had to wander for 18 years. Charles VIII’s army trampled the city and looted the Medici’s jewels and treasures.

The Medici family returned to Florence in 1512. However, citizen dissatisfaction remained, and the surrounding political situation was unstable. In 1527, the army of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V invaded Rome, committing massacres and looting. Florence, politically closely tied to Rome, was also targeted. The citizens, terrified, turned to the Medici for support. The Medici expelled their opponents and regained power but became subservient to the emperor.

Agnolo Bronzino, "Cosimo I in Armor," 1544?1555,
117.5 x 98.5 cm (Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)

Cosimo I de’ Medici, who ascended as Grand Duke of Tuscany at age 17 in 1537, possessed the qualities of a ruthless and capable ruler. He became Grand Duke unexpectedly after his predecessor Alessandro de’ Medici was assassinated, with no preparation. However, with unexpected skill, he took control of the power structure and suppressed rebellions. The citizens, weary of chaos, longed for peace and order and welcomed the rise of a strong ruler.

During Cosimo I’s 30-year reign, Florence regained stability, freed itself from foreign influence, and achieved economic development. However, he abandoned the democratic values that 15th-century Medici rulers had at least formally espoused and ruled as an authoritarian monarch. He governed Florence conservatively, which led to its gradual decline.

Cosimo I had a certain fondness for the arts but used art to enhance the prestige of his monarchy. Like the Great Cosimo and Lorenzo, he exploited the aura of art. However, unlike them, he did not manipulate artists for his own purposes. The result is told by art history: the classical era, which shone with stars like Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Sandro Botticelli, was replaced by Mannerism, characterized by distortion and excess. Elegance and balance disappeared, replaced by artificiality and unease. Florence lost its vitality. Rome rose as the center of art, and Venice led painting.

Cosimo I, obsessed with external grandeur and formality, left behind the Uffizi Gallery building. The design of the Uffizi Palace was entrusted to Giorgio Vasari, a loyal retainer who devoted his later life to Cosimo I. The Uffizi Palace consists of two long buildings between the Palazzo Vecchio and the Arno River. The two parallel buildings are connected by a shorter building on the river side. Vasari designed the first floor of this connecting part as an arched corridor, ensuring the view was not obstructed. It was truly a 'stroke of genius.'

At one end of the long corridor between the two buildings, the Palazzo Vecchio is visible, and through the arches on the opposite side, the green hills across the Arno River can be seen. This space, neither courtyard nor street, softens the rigidity of the buildings and creates a unique charm.

The Uffizi Palace was originally built to serve as a government complex. The concentrated power of Cosimo I required such a building. Cosimo I thought it would be convenient to have an elevated corridor connecting the Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi Palace, and his residence across the river, the Pitti Palace. It was an extraordinary idea. Vasari fulfilled his lord’s wish by creating the famous 'Vasari Corridor,' an approximately 1 km-long corridor installed about 10 meters above ground along the exterior walls of the buildings. This allowed Cosimo I to travel between the Palazzo Vecchio and the Pitti Palace without setting foot on the ground.

Twenty years after construction began, in 1580, the Uffizi Palace reached completion. However, both Cosimo I and Vasari had already passed away by then.

Vasari Corridor visible through the window of the Uffizi Gallery. (Extends from the museum building over the Ponte Vecchio)

In 1581, under Francesco I de’ Medici, Cosimo I’s successor, the purpose of the Uffizi Palace changed. Francesco I decided to move the family’s scattered collections here for exhibition. The collection, previously kept in private spaces, was relocated to a public space, marking the beginning of the museum.

After Cosimo I’s death, the Medici family rapidly declined. However, their art collection grew significantly. The heirs of the declining family indulged in nostalgia and beauty. For example, Cardinal Leopoldo de’ Medici (1617?1675), an avid art collector, amassed over 700 paintings and more than 11,000 drawings.

In 1737, the last male Medici, Gian Gastone de’ Medici, died without an heir. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany passed to the Habsburg dynasty. The only remaining direct Medici descendant was Gian Gastone’s sister, Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici.

Anna Maria Luisa permanently donated the entire family collection?including paintings, books, jewels, furniture, and other rare items?to Florence. In the donation document, she stipulated that "the Medici Collection must be used to beautify the country, serve the public good, and satisfy the curiosity of foreigners, and must never leave Florence." Anna Maria Luisa passed away peacefully in 1741.

Art historian and visiting professor at Kyungsung University

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.