Politicised Space: Florence and Milan

Synopsis

Discusses the way different political regimes require different uses for the city and its buildings. In three parts: 1) Republican Florence: looks at civic humanism and patrician power in 15th-centurey Florence, examining the way the city was governed and how the use of republican imagery reinforced the civic status. Also looks at the private palaces of the patrician families that made up the government; 2) Duchy of Milan: compares Florence to Milan, where the autocratic rule of the Visconti and then Sforza dukes was based on their chivalric status and allegiance to the emperor. Looks at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, the Castello Visconteo in Pavia and the Certose in Pavia, built as a family mausoleum; 3) Ducal Florence: republican government was overthrown in the 16th century and the Medici took over as autocratic ducal rulers. Examines the changes they made to republican institutions and how they adopted a system of chivalric splendour in contrast to their republican forbears.

Series

Renaissance in Europe, The: A Cultural Enquiry, Course Aa305

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 50 min.

Year of production

1999

Availability

Off-air recording

Subjects

Architecture; History; Politics & government

Keywords

architectural design; buildings; humanism; paintings; Renaissance; Renaissance art; sculpture

Credits

Producer

Charles Cooper

Production Company

Name

BBC Open University Productions

Distributor

Name

Open University Worldwide

Web

http://www.ouw.co.uk External site opens in new window

Phone

+44 (0) 1908 274066

Address

Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA

Notes

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