One of the episodes about which I focused on last night's show was the Pazzi Conspiracy, the plot to assassinate Lorenzo (Il Magnifico) de' Medici and his brother Giuliano on Sunday, April 26, 1478. The details of which are clearly outlined in a book I once read, April Blood, by Lauro Martines. Without going into great detail, let me just say that this episode in Florentine history is in itself an amazing story hatched by a cadre of enemies of the Medici family, not only members of the Pazzi family, but members of the church and others as well. The murder of Giuliano and narrow escape of Lorenzo with only minor wounds reshaped the fabric of the Florentine political power base from that point on. I suggest that anyone who has an interest in Italian history should look into the details of the plot, the building up to the actual moment, which ironically occurred in the Florence Cathedral, and the stunning aftermath. The expression, "truth is stranger than fiction," was never truer than it was on fateful day.
The fact is that a lot of what I alluded to on the show bears closer scrutiny by anyone who has enjoyed reading this blog and watching my shows over the past year and a half. All of the famous palaces of Florence have their stories, and reading about them in greater detail would contribute to a fascinating way of reliving the incredible history of one of the world's great cities. I have spent considerable time studying the Sassetti Chapel in the Church of Santa Trinita with the extraordinary fresco cycle by Ghirlandaio. Through his realistic portraits of notable Florentines, painting biblical scenes for the wealthy patrons of Florence in the 15th century (and placing them into his work), he serves as a valuable historian who portrays Florence's storied past with stunning realism. His unique perspective provides the viewer with a wonderful view of life during the early Renaissance complete with an understanding of what the people looked, dressed, and acted like five hundred years ago. I have been contemplating a future show either about Ghirlandaio or perhaps the general concept of the painting portraits of Florentine notables during the 15th century, calling it something akin to one of my favorite shows, Florence, Then and Now. That show focussed on the photography of the Alinari Brothers, whose pioneering discoveries gave us an interesting picture of Italy in the 19th century. The show about the art of Ghirlandaio, and others such as Botticelli, Masaccio, Filippo Lippi, and others might be called A Fifteenth Century View of Florence focussing not only on the portraits, but also well-known scenes around the town.
In fact while in Florence a few weeks ago, I bought two books on the photography of the Alinari Brothers and others and will be presenting several shows on Florence, Then and Now during the coming year. Next week I venture into a story of the Jewish people in Italy through the eyes of several members of the communities of Florence and Venice. Please honor us by tuning in. Grazie.
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