The Medici Villas: Power and Place

The Medici dominated Florence from the 14th to 18th centuries, shaping European art, science, and architecture. Their villas embodied a new ideal of living with nature and became settings for leisure, scholarship, botanical experimentation, commercial ventures, and private passions. These estates mirrored evolving ideas about politics, philosophy, and design. Art historian Elaine Ruffolo reveals how Medici ambitions—both public and intimate—were realized through visionary architects, creating spaces where beauty, innovation, and power converged. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)