Exploring the Culture of Tuscany

Article Written By: GilbertRobbins

Tuscany, the most beautiful land and known for its villas, was the centre for art and learning from the middle ages and throughout Renaissance. It was here that schools of architecture, sculpture and painting developed from the 11th century in the cities like Florence, Pisa, Siena and Arezzo. Let us go little deeper to know about the history and culture of the region.

Florence was the city of writers like Dante, Petrarch and Macchiavelli and artists and engineers such as Boticelli, Brunelleschi (who built the magnificent dome on the church of St. Mary of the Flowers), Alberti, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Michelangelo. The city was ruled by an oligarchy of wealthy aristocrats, the Medici family being the most dominant in the 15th century, the arts and literature flourished as nowhere in Europe.

Lorenzo dei Medici was a ruler of Florence in the late 15th century, was perhaps the greatest patron of the arts in the history of the west. Under the rule of the Medici family of Florence, Tuscany became a grand duchy in 1569, and a powerful political and economic force in addition to being one of the main intellectual and artistic centres in Europe at the time.

Raffaello came to Florence from Urbino in the same year as Michelangelo's departure for Rome. He stayed there for four years -- long enough to leave a trace of his different conception of art as a means of justifying its own ends and as the fulfilment of the ideal form and technical perfection which, with the dramatic style of Michelangelo and the refined sensitivity of Leonardo, form the basis of Mannerism. This style was developing in the town, due to the painters such as Bartolomeo della Porta and Andrea del Sarto, and later Jacopo Carucci ( il Pontormo”).

On the request of Pope Leo X, Michelangelo returned from Rome in 1516 to design the facade of San Lorenzo Church -- an appointment that was later cancelled and replaced with a Church vestry project for the tombs of Lorenzo and Giuliano dei Medici. But, staying in Florence was not possible as Michelangelo was forced to leave once again following the siege of Florence by the Spanish in 1529 and the fall of the Republic, which had been re-established by Duke Alessandro dei Medici.

A new change came with creation of vast and spacious piazzas to organize town meetings and at the same time, theatrical productions were replaced by the exclusivity of the internal palace courtyards and gardens – a sign of social openness and an interest in innovation. Moreover, Tuscany villas were also been constructed as per the strata of the families.

Thus, with its vast culture, today Tuscany is a major cultural and art center, attracting millions of tourists every year. To know the history and culture of the region, stay at one of the Tuscany villas and explore the glorious past, which is both overwhelming and enchanting.

About the Author

Staying at Tuscany villas, Gilbert visited different cities in Tuscany.

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