On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the birth of Cosimo I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany the Art Gallery of New South Wales is hosting a symposium that will present the fascinating history of the 16th century Medici court through the visual culture of Renaissance Florence. Bringing together leading scholars, this one-day symposium focuses on the art, power and politics surrounding Cosimo I de’ Medici, who played a huge role in enriching the cultural and civic life of Renaissance Florence thanks to his vast fortune and influence.
The symposium presents exciting new research on the portrait by Agnolo Bronzino, Cosimo I de’ Medici in armour (1540s), a significant painting held in the Gallery’s collection. The painting has undergone analysis at the Australian Synchrotron in Melbourne, with new details revealed on the underlying portrait beneath the surface of this painting.
The symposium will feature the following talks:
The accidental Prince: Cosimo I and the creation of a court in Florence
by Nicholas Baker (Macquarie University)
The Duke and the dwarf: Poetic portraits by Bronzino at the Medici court
by Sefy Hendler (Tel Aviv University)
Visible and hidden paintings: Bronzino’s Cosimo I de’ Medici in armour, 1540s
by Paula Dredge (head of paintings conservation at the Art Gallery of New South Wales)
From Lake Como to Sydney Harbour: The intricate itineraries of a Grand-Ducal portrait, 1551-1996
by John Gagné (Sydney University)
The Duke’s companion: Eleonora di Toledo, portraiture, patronage and the role of a ducal consort at the Medici court
by Natalie Tomas (Monash University)
The politics of architectural form under Cosimo I
by Robert Brennan (Sydney University)
A panel discussion will follow.
Free entry.
Information and bookings: 02 9225 1878
Online bookings: www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au
To mark the 500th anniversary of Cosimo de’ Medici’s birth, the Cerreto Guidi Council, together with Toscana Promozione Turistica and Italia Nostra, have initiated the project Le Vie dei Medici. All the details of the project are available HERE and on the project’s website: https://leviedeimedici.it/