Arts & Culture
The Role of Patronage in the Transition from Medieval to Renaissance Art
Quick fact
The Medici family of Florence funded a renaissance in art that rivaled many European states, spending vast sums to commission works by Brunelleschi, Donatello, and Michelangelo, effectively shaping the city's identity.
Why this is interesting
By the 15th century, artists like Leonardo da Vinci were famous names, their work signed and celebrated—yet two centuries earlier, painters were anonymous craftsmen. What changed? It wasn’t just a burst of creativity; it was a shift in who controlled the money.