Patrons and portraits
During the Italian Renaissance, art and architecture often came about via commissions from wealthy patrons, pointing to the power structures at play during this time.
Much of Florence's artistic production during the fifteenth century was sponsored by the powerful Medici family, whose fortune came from banking. Despite the fact the city was a republic, the family ruled as though royalty. The majority of commissions at this time were for religious works which banking families sought out in order to atone for the sin of usary.
The family nevertheless commissioned a host of masterpieces, including works by Michelangelo, Donatello, Bronzino, Pontormo and Botticelli – including his Birth of Venus. Cosimo de' Medici also built the Uffizi, which now houses one of the greatest art collections.
The fifteenth century marked a turning point in the history of Western portraiture when specific likenesses of people began to emerge. Many patrons became especially concerned with their personal fame and individual presentation – portraits were an opportunity to display a sitter's wealth, power and ego.
More significantly, though, such patronage led to a change in how artists came to be viewed, becoming highly regarded for their skill and craftsmanship.