In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Reviewed by:
  • The Renaissance Palace in Florence: Magnificence and Splendour in Fifteenth-Century Italy
  • Anne Leader
James R. Lindow. The Renaissance Palace in Florence: Magnificence and Splendour in Fifteenth-Century Italy. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Company, 2007. xii + 266 pp. + 8 col. pls. index. append. illus. bibl. $99.95. ISBN: 978-0-7546-6092-7.

Since Ernst Gombrich’s 1960 article on the revival of classical theories of magnificence in conjunction with Medici patronage, numerous scholars have explored its development in Florence, Milan, Ferrara, Bologna, and other sites of [End Page 530] Renaissance palace building. James Lindow argues that while magnificence has been well studied, “the usage and application of the term splendour has received insufficient attention” (4). To remedy this oversight, Lindow suggests that the two concepts must be taken together, as they certainly were in the Renaissance, and that our understanding of the Renaissance revival of magnificence is incomplete without full consideration of its corollary, splendor. Lindow thus sets out to present the Renaissance palace, specifically that of fifteenth-century Florence, as an “integrated structure” (6) where “theory and practice meet” (5). The narrative progresses logically from theory to practice over four subdivided chapters, culminating in historical analysis of Florentine palaces as magnificent structures and as containers for splendid interiors and furnishings. The brief conclusion is followed by three appendices, which contain transcriptions of house inventories of Gabriello Panciatichi (1430), Gismondo della Stufa (1495), and Lorenzo Tornabuoni (1497).

How to spend money appropriately has concerned the wealthy, at least in republican and Christian settings, from ancient to modern times. Lindow’s first chapter, “Debated Concepts: Magnificence and Splendour,” rehearses the development of Renaissance theories of display, as humanists read Aristotle and Cicero through the lens of Saint Thomas Aquinas to provide powerful and persuasive justification for elaborate architectural projects, especially in the private sphere. Lindow examines the ancient texts and Renaissance theories, as well as unpublished chronicles, eulogies, and other fifteenth-century sources, to show that these debates were not confined to humanist circles but were well understood by a wide swath of literate Florentines. Indeed, these concepts had great practical use for citizens wanting to justify their own projects or to tolerate those of fellow citizens, since all beautiful buildings were seen to glorify the city.

Chapter 2, “Magnificent Architecture,” explores the motivation to build on a grand scale and how these buildings were received. It also provides a demonstration of theories explicated in chapter 1 with lengthy discussion of the praise and criticism directed toward Cosimo de’Medici to conclude with theories of decorum as codified by Alberti (1452) and Filarete (1464). Lindow rightly emphasizes how codes of decorum joined theories of magnificence and splendor to guide Renaissance patrons in the construction, decoration, and use of their homes. While fully acknowledging the benefits of grand expenditure for the patron himself, Lindow argues that it was the advantages to the entire city that allowed acceptance and celebration of these displays of private wealth. There is no doubt that these buildings brought honor to the city, or at least that citizens believed they did, but Lindow perhaps gets caught up in the propaganda machine of Florentine humanism. Citing civic documents does not effectively make his case, for there is a long legislative tradition of formulaic calls for streets, bridges, and other buildings to be erected “for the honour and order of the city” (55). Moreover, Lindow does not question whether the glory and pride attributed to these expensive palaces were inherent in the structures or resulted from deliberate propaganda campaigns.

Just as concepts of magnificence and splendor were inextricably linked, splendid interior decoration, furnishings, and display were seen as extensions of the [End Page 531] exterior. In chapter 3, “Going beyond the Palace Façade,” Lindow enumerates how builders brought architectural magnificence indoors with coats-of-arms and personal devices as well as furniture and wall decorations. The lack of direct connections between specific surviving objects and their original interiors forces Lindow to generalize; nevertheless, Lindow’s insistence that palaces be seen as “integrated structures” is well deserved. He also discusses the key roles played by private palaces in public life, underscoring how the words public and private were...

pdf

Share