A Quest for Salvation - Cosimo de' Medici in 15th Century Florence

Cosimo de Medici was motivated by a strong desire to
achieve salvation. This became a high priority for
him after he returned from exile in 1434. He was a
prosperous banker who used his financial gains, in
the form of donations, to maximize his chances of
attaining salvation by assuaging his sins due to
usury. To establish Cosimo s patronage, the monastery
of San Marco, the Medici palace chapel, and the
church of San Lorenzo are examined. At San Marco, the
restoration of the monastery and the purpose of
including the Medici family Saints Cosmas and Damian
in Fra Angelico s Crucifixion are investigated. For
the Medici palace chapel there is a detailed
interpretation of the Confraternity of the Magi and
Benozzo Gozzoli s fresco of the Procession of the
Magi in the chapel. In the final analysis, the
location of Cosimo s tomb reveals his quest for
salvation with the masses that were performed in San
Lorenzo after his death. This book is tailored for
the art aficionado as well as the general reader as
it illuminates how politics and religion influenced
Cosimo s role as a patron of the arts in fifteenth
century Florence.

Autorentext

Wendy Stockstill is a college art history instructor in LosAngeles, California. Her degrees are from UCLA and CSULB with anemphasis in the Italian Renaissance and the Medici family. Shehas directed study abroad programs and traveled extensively inEurope, Asia, the South Pacific and Australia/New Zealand. Herwebsite is www.ArtMusicHistory.com.

Klappentext

Cosimo de' Medici was motivated by a strong desire toachieve salvation. This became a high priority forhim after he returned from exile in 1434. He was aprosperous banker who used his financial gains, inthe form of donations, to maximize his chances ofattaining salvation by assuaging his sins due tousury. To establish Cosimo's patronage, the monasteryof San Marco, the Medici palace chapel, and thechurch of San Lorenzo are examined. At San Marco, therestoration of the monastery and the purpose ofincluding the Medici family Saints Cosmas and Damianin Fra Angelico's Crucifixion are investigated. Forthe Medici palace chapel there is a detailedinterpretation of the Confraternity of the Magi andBenozzo Gozzoli's fresco of the Procession of theMagi in the chapel. In the final analysis, thelocation of Cosimo's tomb reveals his quest forsalvation with the masses that were performed in SanLorenzo after his death. This book is tailored forthe art aficionado as well as the general reader asit illuminates how politics and religion influencedCosimo's role as a patron of the arts in fifteenthcentury Florence.