Date of Award

Spring 2024

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Visual & Performing Arts; College of Arts & Sciences

First Advisor

Dr. Jill Pederson

Abstract

The Age of Conquest marked a turning point in global history, facilitating cross-cultural exchanges between the Eastern and Western hemispheres and paving the way for colonial expansion. Despite Italy's lack of direct involvement in the exploration of the Americas, various city-states eagerly sought to acquire objects and knowledge from the recently exploited lands. This essay focuses on Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici and his efforts to portray Florence as a global center through the collecting, commissioning, and cultivating of objects from and related to the Americas. I investigate mirabilia (objects that evoked wonder or astonishment) associated with the Medici collection, mainly turquoise masks that now belong to the Pigorini Museum in Rome and the British Museum in London. I assess the presence of the Americas in Florence by analyzing the La Dovizia tapestry in the Museo degli Argenti in Florence. I also look at the Gardens of Simples in Pisa, established under the direction of Cosimo, which housed and maintained a collection of flora from the Americas and the shell grotto at the Villa di Castello outside of Florence. Through these endeavors, Cosimo aimed to assert his cultural authority over the Americas, shaping a distinct image of worldly power and sophistication to rival his European counterparts.

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A City of Global Ambition: Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici’s Florence and the Americas

The Age of Conquest marked a turning point in global history, facilitating cross-cultural exchanges between the Eastern and Western hemispheres and paving the way for colonial expansion. Despite Italy's lack of direct involvement in the exploration of the Americas, various city-states eagerly sought to acquire objects and knowledge from the recently exploited lands. This essay focuses on Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici and his efforts to portray Florence as a global center through the collecting, commissioning, and cultivating of objects from and related to the Americas. I investigate mirabilia (objects that evoked wonder or astonishment) associated with the Medici collection, mainly turquoise masks that now belong to the Pigorini Museum in Rome and the British Museum in London. I assess the presence of the Americas in Florence by analyzing the La Dovizia tapestry in the Museo degli Argenti in Florence. I also look at the Gardens of Simples in Pisa, established under the direction of Cosimo, which housed and maintained a collection of flora from the Americas and the shell grotto at the Villa di Castello outside of Florence. Through these endeavors, Cosimo aimed to assert his cultural authority over the Americas, shaping a distinct image of worldly power and sophistication to rival his European counterparts.