The Florentine Academy and the Early Modern State
The Discipline of Disegno

Examines the academic, confraternal, and guild practices of Florentine artists from the mid-sixteenth to the mid-eighteenth century.

Karen-edis Barzman (Author)

9780521641623, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 11 September 2000

384 pages, 29 b/w illus.
24.2 x 16.2 x 2.5 cm, 0.79 kg

"[Barzman] enlarges our understanding of innumerable historic and conceptual matters of great interest and importance. Her study is rooted in Florentine archival documents, many of which are used here for the first time...This book is a serious contribution to the field of early modern art history. It fills grievous and long-standing lacunae and opens many avenues for further exploration. It deserves to be widely read." CAA Reviews

This title examines the academic, confraternal, and guild practices of artists in Florence over a period of two hundred years, from the mid-sixteenth to the mid-eighteenth century. Based on archival sources, many of which are published here for the first time, it provides a detailed study of the pedagogy in the institution's school, and also focuses on the public dimension of artists' lives - the performance of corporate charity, devotion, and juridical authority, as well as academic exercises, intellectual exchange, and the development of fora within which dilettantes could display their wealth and demonstrate their erudition. Covering the history of the Academy under Medici rule, and examining production, reception and patronage associated with the concept disegno, this study links changes in artistic practice to shifts in the political fortunes of the Tuscan Grand Dukes.

Part I. Culture and Politics: The Academy under the Medici Principate: 1. Cosimo I de' Medici and the foundation of the Compagnia ed Accademia del Disegno
2. The evolution of the Università, Compagnia, ed Accademia del Disegno from Francesco I to Cosimo II
3. Institutional reform of the Academy under Ferdinando II
4. The rise of an administrative class and the decline of the Academy as a Medici Institution under Cosimo III and Giangastone
Part II. Discourses and Power: Disegno and Corporate Unity in the Formation of the Academy: 5. Disegno as a disciplinary practice: the Academy school
6. Fellowships of discourse: the Academy's confraternity and guild
Postscript
Reflections on the archive: the rule of the Academy
Appendix
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: History of art & design styles: c 1400 to c 1600 [ACN]