Florence Under Siege

The extraordinary Medici family, through a singular exercise of wealth, political ingenuity, and dynastic power, ruled the city-state of Florence for three centuries. Hugely controversial, both in their own time and among later historians and commentators, the list of what they accomplished is nothing short of astonishing

The Sistine Chapel ceiling. The Pietà. The David. The Last Judgment. The Moses. The Dome of St. Peter's Basilica. Michelangelo's artistic achievements, in their scope and execution, seem unimaginable. His brilliance is apparent in every medium he worked in and with every tool he used. Today, more than 500 years after his unique artistry burst forth on the Renaissance world, the breadth and depth of his accomplishments still confound our attempts to grasp their full importance.