Most people think that artists were the most
important people of the Renaissance. Well, without patrons, popes and
politicians, Italy or anyplace else in Europe wouldn't be the
same.
Lorenzo de Medici
In 1449, Lorenzo de Medici was born into the
most powerful family of the age. The Medicis ruled Florence for about
80 years. Lorenzo was a banker, statesman, gifted poet and a patron
of the arts. From 1469 to 1478, Lorenzo ruled Florence with his
brother, Guiliano de Medici. Lorenzo was one of the most important
art patrons in the history of Florence. Being a patron of the arts
benefited Lorenzo personally as well as Florence. His reasons for
patronage were mostly political but Lorenzo also had a great interest
in the arts especially music and poetry. One way that he chose the
people he would support was by letters of recommendation by people of
his family. Lorenzo died I 1492 at age 43. The people of Florence
were so upset that most of the population attended his funeral.
One huge commission for the artist Michelangelo was from the Medici
family for work on the Medici tomb and chapel from 1514 to
1534.
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II was born in 1443 in Albisols, Italy.
In his 10 year reign as Pope from 1503-13, he was thought of as one
of the most brilliant popes of the Renaissance. He was also one of
the greatest art patrons among the Popes. Before he was a pope, he
had been a Cardinal and a bishop. He commissioned Michelangelo to
paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel that his uncle Pope Sixtus IV
had built and named after himself. He also commissioned Raphael to do
the Bramante. He shocked many people with his skill in politics,
another reason why he was considered to be the most brilliant Pope of
the Renaissance. Another was because he expanded the influence of the
Vatican and expanded priesthood I the Papal States. Julius died on
February 21, 1513, and has been called the second founder of the
Papal States.