Palazzo Medici Riccardi - Renaissance Blog

Introduction

I do enjoy seeing art from a long time ago, but when it comes to the art in their architecture, I am blown away. After doing quite a bit of research, I came across the Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence, Italy and it was a part of the Italian Renaissance. At first glance, it did not impress me very much, but thankfully I stopped scrolling and looked into it more. Every little detail in the Palazzo is incredible and I cannot believe that I almost overlooked it. 

Ph. Associazione Mus.e

The Palazzo Medici Riccardi was “the first palace of the Medici family, where Cosimo the Elder and Lorenzo the Magnificent lived, and artists such as Donatello, Michelangelo, Paolo Uccello, Benozzo Gozzoli, and Botticelli worked” ("Where It All Began"). The Palazzo was commissioned in 1444 by Cosimo de’ Medici the Elder, and was completed in 1460 (Rebecca Marks, MA). “Scholars and architecture enthusiasts will know that Palazzo Medici Riccardi is something of a prototype for all Renaissance architecture to come, designed by Michelozzo to represent the emerging ideals of this new era” (Vaughn, Samantha). This was the Medici family’s primary residence until the mid-16th century, the Riccardi family purchased the Palazzo in the 17th century and then after that, the building went to the city, it is now a museum (Rebecca Marks, MA).

Art Elements

The actual texture, contrast, and space are the first things to notice with the outside of the Palazzo. The three different levels show us three different contrasting textures. Samantha Vaughn with "The Forentine" explains it greatly, "The first level is immense and decorated with rusticated blocks of stone, while the second level is characterized by a smooth ashlar surface. The third level is both the shortest and the most elegant, its ashlar blocks nearly free of all visible cracks between each one of them." The space is so well designed with well-thought-out details in every part. Notice the arches and design in and around every door and window, to think of the time that was put into perfecting it.

My Opinions

I could go on and on about the Palazzo Medici Riccardi and it continues to get better as you go inside. For this blog, I wanted to focus on the exterior architecture because it is easy to overlook the exterior details and go right inside. I will add a video tour link that I have found on YouTube at the end of this post for anyone who may be interested. Some things have changed in the Palazzo, starting with when the Riccardi family bought the Palazzo as seen in the courtyard (Vaughn). Modern architecture today is awesome, but I prefer older architecture like seen in the Palazzo. I would be able to spend a long time admiring all the different parts of the Palazzo if I got the chance to go to Italy. I am going to have to start selling all of my stuff so I can travel and experience all of the art!

Tour of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi

Works Cited

“Where It All Began.” Palazzo Medici Riccardi, www.palazzomediciriccardi.it/en/. Accessed 11 July 2024.

Rebecca Marks, MA. “A Brief History of Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence.” Urbs, Urbs, 4 Dec. 2023, www.urbstravel.com/post/history-of-palazzo-medici-riccardi.

Vaughn, Samantha. “Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence.” The Florentine, 13 Dec. 2022, www.theflorentine.net/2019/01/09/palazzo-medici-riccardi/.