The Medici family had this rich history, full of adventures and challenges, all for the sake of a goal that is the supreme in the earth, which is to spread knowledge and art and get rid of the church’s control of the people. With that came the absence of this science among the citizens as it was specific to only a few people who control even its content. This is what embodied the Renaissance. Here in this article, we will briefly introduce the founding family, and more details of the first aspiring engineer Medici family supported was Filippo Brunelleschi. [4]
Where science and art were considered a thing of heresy to the Church, they believed that these things were displays of insanity, atheism, and perversion. The artists of that era were the most humiliating to the church.
Where science and art were considered a thing of heresy to the Church, they believed that these things were displays of insanity, atheism, and perversion. The artists of that era were the most humiliating to the church, and in essence... competitors to the traditions and some principles of the religious ‘rulers.’
Until this era came, which would rid the science of the ignorant hands and inept rulers of the church by the Medici family. Who were one of the most prestigious families in Florence and were the richest of them. History has proven them to be the Founding Family of the Renaissance. Florence possessed the largest bank in Europe and produced the currency that lasted for a long period in commercial activities, which is the currency of "Florin" attributed to Florence.
The rise of Florence came after the fall of the Roman Empire as those rulers lost the trust of the whole world due to the debasement of the currency, violence, and poor governance overall.[4]
The Influence of the Medici Family
The Medici family influenced art and science in Florence, embracing the artists, supporting them, and spreading their art throughout Italy and Europe, such as the artists Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci, Filippo Brunelleschi, Leon Alberti, etc.[1]
The support of artists and engineers appeared after Florence needed one of them to build the dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in 1413, and Filippo Brunoliski was appointed to build it. He proposed building the dome with a fiery red stone. [1]
Governor and Florentine Banker: Cosimo Medici
He is the first ruler of the Republic of Florence, and he is known as the first to financially support the European Renaissance with the funding of artists and scholars. He started his career with his father and worked in the Bank of Medici and after his father’s death, named Cosimo Bank of Medici.[2]
Cultural and artistic support
Cosimo had this great influence in the Renaissance, adopting artists, scholars, and thought and philosophers, and that his support announced the human responsibility towards the advancement of art and science.[2]
"All of these things gave me greater satisfaction and satisfaction because they are not only for the honor of God but also for my special memory for fifty years. I have nothing else to do but earn and spend money, and it became clear that spending money gives me more pleasure than winning it."[3]
Cosimo supervised the construction of a public library in Florence. It is considered the first library in the great city. The library is part of the cultural life in Florence, where books were available for free because of the support of the Medici for the library. [2]
Cosimo is considered by many scholars and peasants to be the greatest patron of human arts, culture, and philosophy as he had a tremendous positive impact on cultural life among all in the Hierarchy of Classes. [2]
Pioneers of Art and Engineering in the Renaissance
The greatest artists and engineers who started the scientific and artistic renaissance and spread it throughout Europe were Pioneers funded by the Medici family.
In the following section, we will talk about these great artists, first Brunelleschi, and in several articles to come.
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Filippo Brunelleschi
He was born in the year 1377. He came from a family of artisans and artists, gained experience in work, then moved to Rome and excelled in the properties of "Arte Della Seta." He became a member of the Arts Syndicate in Florence. Upon returning to Florence, he found great respect from the people of Florence and appointed his chief architect in Florence.[5]
He is the first artist and engineer supported by the Medici family for the beginning of the Renaissance when Cosimo asked him to design the dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria, where construction work stopped at this dome, and they could not complete it.[5]
His Works and Accomplishments
Technical Invention: Perspective
Where he is considered to be the first to draw using this technique and it is also believed that or who discovered this technique is the Muslim scholar Ibn Al-Haytham, where he mentioned that Fethi wrote his book "Book of Optics”(المناظر)
How to do this technique
It is the method of engineering projection and this drawing technique is similar to what the human eye sees as Ibn al-Haytham mentioned in his book and this technique was used to invent the camera.
This technique is based on the presence of vanishing points. These points end in the horizon line. The further you get away from anything, it is clear to us.
Sculpting works
Filippo Brunelleschi did not have much sculpting, but some of which were destroyed and burned in the past like Marie Magdalene made of wood and has bronze engravings such as the Sacrifice of Isaac:
Architectural works
The dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria
One of the most important architectural works of Filippo Brunelleschi is the construction of the dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Veroy in Florence.
It was designed in the late Gothic period from eight sides without external supports, so the contestants presented their models, and one of the staunchest competitors was Filippo Brunelleschi, Lorenzo Ghiberti. Observed the first time in Rome 1401, and the construction of the dome began in the year 1420 and in 1436 the crown was completed and Brunelleschi designed a lantern to place it over the dome and the lantern was not completed until after his death.[6]
“The best way to build any dome is to turn the ribbed shape into a half-spherical, which gives the dome of its strength and durity.”
Innocent Hospital
It is a special place for abandoned children who were abandoned by their parents and children of ‘illegitimate’ slaves. This hospital building was started in 1319 and was designed by Brunelleschi on the Gothic system and the classic and Italian Roman architecture.[7]
Filippo Brunelleschi was distinguished by this sharp engineering intelligence which brought him to universal acclaim and is considered in Florence to be one of the best engineers to exist to this day.
In our upcoming articles we will discuss how the Medici family continued to find and fund amazing talent, with introductions for all the notable Founders of the Renaissance.
Thank you so much for reading this far, @utopiaeducators team thanks you for your support.
Authored by Motasem & John in collaboration.
Sources:
[1] History.com Editors , (November 9, 2009) , "The Medici Family" , A&E Television Networks ,Retrieved: (18/7/2020)https://www.history.com renaissance/medici-family
[2] yourdictionary,"Cosimo de' Medici Facts",Retrieved: (18/7/2020) https://biography.yourdictionary.com/cosimo-de-medici
[3] The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica,(Jun 05, 2019), "Cosimo de' Medici",Retrieved: (18/7/2020) https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cosimo-de-Medici
[4] director Justin Hardy , (2004) , Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance , IMDB,Retrieved: (18/7/2020) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0392433/
[5] Beautiful Italy, "فيليبو برونليسكي - المهندس المعماري الرائع لعصر النهضة المبكر" Retrieved: (18/7/2020) https://eg.lakemerrittplaza.com/1188-filippo-brunelleschi-the-brilliant-architect-of-the-e.html
[6] Isabelle Hyman , (Apr 26, 2018) , "Filippo Brunelleschi" Retrieved: (18/7/2020) https://www.britannica.com/biography/Filippo-Brunelleschi
[7] solbrillersalg ," فيليبو برونليسكي: سيرة ذاتية ، مساهمات وأعمال " Retrieved: (18/7/2020) https://ar.solbrillersalg.com/9730-filippo-brunelleschi-biography-contributions-and-works
Personal Photographs from John's Mom and Dad who traveled to Florence (My Mom is the Model):
See you in next article!
