Chapter 8 city ​​spell

one When I came to Florence for the first time, I was deeply surprised by one thing, that is, I couldn't get rid of these letters when I walked around: MEDICI.Like a charm, like a label, it is engraved on the door, written on the wall, and carved on the ground.When I wrote about Dante yesterday, I didn’t escape. This is the name of a family, and there are various Chinese translations. I will choose Medici.It can be seen that the current Florentine authorities do not want to publicize this family, and are unwilling to put all the cultural attractions that tourists from all over the world flock to into one portal. Certain facts are very difficult.

Among the few cathedrals that are open to travelers as key cultural relics in the whole city, four of them are family chapels of the Medici family; it is clearly said that they are going to visit the State Council Hall of the Republic of Florence. When I went to the portraits of the ancestors and the room of the wife, it turns out that the State Council Hall is their home, and their home is the State Council Hall; what is even more amazing is the world-famous Uffizi Gallery. According to an obviously exaggerated statement, the history of Western art Almost half of the most important paintings are hidden here, but we saw a circle of statues of the ancestors of the Medici family at the entrance of the showroom on the first to fifth floors. When asked, the entire art gallery was originally their family office. Those paintings It was also what they tried their best to collect for centuries, and it was not until Ana Maria, the last descendant of the Medici family, that they donated it to the city of Florence.

It seems that there are other wealthy families who want to compete with this family. For example, in the 15th century, the Florentine banker Luca Pitti built a large-scale house, and the design was precisely the same as that of the United States. The design master Brunaleschi, who is closely related to the Medici family, obviously wants to share the power with the Medici family.But unfortunately, the Pitti family was gradually declining due to the huge expenditure of this mansion, and this mansion was bought by the Medici family and became the main residence.The Medici family lived here for a long time without changing the name of Pitti House. It seemed to take care of the opponent's reputation, but in fact it doubled their victory.Today, this mansion is also the main sight of Florence. Travelers from all over the world can still feel the aura of this family when they are in it.

It is not surprising that a family has long shrouded a city. It is worth noting that this city was the cradle of the European Renaissance at that time.Could it be that a great movement like the Renaissance that changed the fate of mankind is also closely related to this family?The answer is yes, it is indeed a strong supporter of the Renaissance movement. The Medici family was very rich.His ancestors were farmers in Tuscany who made a fortune as a drug dealer, and then opened a bank and gradually became the largest banker in Europe.They used and improved the double-entry bookkeeping method they learned from the Arabs in the bank, greatly improving efficiency, rapid development of financial business, and managing finances for the Roman Church.In the middle and late fifteenth century, this family ruled Florence politically for another sixty years. These sixty years were both the golden age of Florence and the golden age of the Renaissance.

In my opinion, there are three conditions for the Medici family to support the Renaissance, one is huge funds, the other is administrative power, and the third is forensic ability, all of which are indispensable. why? First, the reason why the Renaissance was astonishing and tens of thousands of people turned their heads was supported by many large works. Whether it was magnificent buildings or huge murals, these works cost a lot of money, which was far beyond what the artist himself could handle.Therefore, the capital injection of the Medici family is very important. Second, the Renaissance is another challenge after all. A series of brand-new concepts and behaviors will inevitably lead to widespread backlash, forming a siege for each innovator.This requires the protection of a certain power background, and the Medici family happened to have this kind of power, which gave many artists a certain sense of security.

Third, what did the Medici family rely on to determine the objects of funding and protection?Rely on their forensic ability.This kind of forensic ability includes not only familiarity with ancient Greek art and culture, but also sensitivity to cultural trends in the new era. Through the establishment of Plato Academy, Sculpture School and Library, talents from all over Europe were recruited for discussion and research. As a result, not only family members , and also greatly improved the level of cultural judgment of the citizens of Florence.This is really commendable, because there have always been some wealth and power groups who are enthusiastic about art, and they are often laughed at because of their low forensic ability.

The Medici family worked hard from these three aspects and created a kind of popular cultural worship in Florence, which was extremely important to the improvement of the artist's personal creative mentality and the formation of the momentum of an ideological and cultural movement.It is said that many art masters at that time cared most about the eyes of the general public of Florence, which is really a fascinating sight. On the streets of Florence, I repeatedly reflected on myself: Why did I have no grievances with the Medici family, but from the very beginning I rejected their huge influence on the Renaissance psychologically?Maybe it has something to do with some traditional concept in China.Chinese folk artists and literati artists have always been proud of despising the rich and powerful, and ashamed of going in and out of the rich and powerful, while the court artists who existed at the same time as them were more thoroughly used as tools to describe the rich and noble, and sing praises.There is little middle ground between these two extremes.It seems difficult for us to imagine those masters of art in Florence who went in and out of the rich but never became tools.

Generally speaking, the Medici family respected creative freedom and artistic individuality, and did not show off their artistic hegemony.Of course, they also had their own artistic choices. For example, the famous Lorenzo Medici admired Michelangelo very much but was indifferent to Da Vinci, and his son was also a little indifferent to Michelangelo.But all of these have not changed the family's overall care for the art community.Michelangelo was appreciated and raised by this family at the age of fourteen. When he grew up, he did a lot of things for them with a heart of gratitude. He also supported the citizens' struggle against the Medici family. The Medici family did not agree with this. How to embarrass him.Therefore, no matter whether it is gratitude or struggle, it does not damage his integrity as an artist.In contrast, political thinkers are a little more troublesome. For example, Nicodo Machiavelli, the author of "The Prince", "The Art of War", and "History of Florence", has repeatedly encountered in his life whether to stand on the side of the Medici. On the side of the Qi family, he was arrested for opposing the Medici family for a while, and expelled for serving the Medici family for a while, and finally died of depression.In such matters, the artist is always much more relaxed and freer.

Reminiscent of the Medici family, the dignitaries, bureaucrats, and gentry in ancient China generally only indulged in the enjoyment of utensils, playing piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and were unwilling to optimize art and civilization in the public domain on a large scale. From generation to generation, it is difficult to accumulate real social wealth for common people to share. two A huge body in broad daylight will inevitably bring out an equally huge shadow.After wandering in Florence for a long time, you will also taste the embarrassing state of the Medici family that is difficult to express.I can see it from those buildings that want to be big but not too big, from those squares that don’t know whether to be close to the citizens or a little bit away, and from those art masters supported by their families, although they have produced excellent works one after another, they have not made a big difference. It can be seen from the overall tendency of innovation, and it can also be seen from the expressions of the statues of the heads of their families.

From the very beginning, the Medici family was relatively close to the common people, but once they took power, they would inevitably confront the common people. This paradox was first felt by that Cosimo Medici (Cosimo Medici).Cosimo's approach at that time was to downplay the name of power, strengthen the identity of citizens, and only control the political situation behind the scenes.This way of standing is smart and effective, seemingly light but thick, laying the foundation for the continuation of the rule of the Medici family. In the Medici family, Cosimo can be compared with his grandson Lorenzo (Lorenzo Midici).Lorenzo was still young when he came to power, and he no longer adopted his grandfather's cautious and low-key way of governing, but was decisive, brave, and talented.In 1480, the Pope of Rome united with Naples to threaten Florence. Facing such a powerful opponent, Lorenzo went south alone to negotiate in Naples. He instantly turned an enemy into a friend, which became a beautiful story in the history of European diplomacy.

Such a ruler must be confident and strong, and the citizens have always been proud of him, but over time, each other felt a little abnormal.Politics is like this, keeping a low profile and maintaining calm, while being strong brings crisis. Florence has unknowingly become turbulent and treacherous.The most glorious harvest season must also be eventful, and the wise Lorenzo soon realized this.He has a certain degree of advance and retreat, and is not obsessed with power. He is willing to spend more time discussing ancient Greek philosophy with experts, and has written many joyful and sad poems, such as: The preface of the burning year is like morning dew. Happy today, where will tomorrow be? The lonely mood is beyond words. Lorenzo met many opponents, but the greatest opponent was the citizens of Florence under his rule.Citizens are good at getting bored, because their living style is dense and fluid, and their political ideas naturally tend to be democratic. What's more, Florence has just opened up and is active in thinking, so it is difficult to convert to a family for a long time. rule.If the Medici family personally initiated this ethos, then it is this ethos that calls into question the family. I saw a strange old building above the famous old bridge in the city center. It looked like a house and a corridor, running through the downtown area, but it was sealed and closed, with only a few small windows open. I asked a tour guide, and he said, this is the Medici. The family walks through the corridors between the different residences.They will not pass through the official roads like the old-fashioned aristocratic bureaucrats, but they dare not walk side by side with the citizens unobstructed.This aerial walkway is a vivid representation of their awkward relationship with citizens, and this presentation will further promote the embarrassment. The Medici were unprepared for the antagonisms bred in boredom.It's just that even the most confident Lorenzo found strangely that more and more citizens flocked to a monastery, while Plato's academy had long been deserted. The citizens went to listen to the preaching of Savonarola, the abbot of the monastery. The content of the sermon was to criticize the luxury and corruption in the city of Florence, and believed that this completely deviated from the spirit of Christ.Such sermons fit the personal feelings of the citizens and are very motivating. What is even more shocking is that Savonarola criticized the Medici family and Lorenzo himself by name, and claimed to have the ability to predict, warning If Florence does not correct her ways, disaster will surely come her way.As a result, the citizens of Florence gathered around him with admiration and panic, and he became the spiritual leader of the secular citizens through the two paths of religious purification and social criticism.Later, when France invaded and the situation was chaotic, he was elected by the citizens to be in power, replacing the Medici family. From a political point of view, this is a democratic act in which citizens overthrow a family's tyranny through elections, but from the perspective of the evolution of overall civilization, it is just the opposite.The political model and the civilized model are completely different in this matter.Savonarola practiced religious extremism and asceticism. If the citizens felt happy when they listened to his speech criticizing the luxury of the Medici family, now that the Medici family has collapsed, I’m sorry. All the luxuries that could be saved were handed over and burned in public; not only all entertainment was prohibited, but even normal marriage was not encouraged, and total abstinence was as severe as it was in the history of Florence as well as in Italy. Never since the seventh century.Many works of art that emerged during the Renaissance were also regarded as immoral things, and they were thrown into flames in large numbers.As a result, a vibrant city suddenly became a culturally dead city. The citizens of Florence, who were used to being active for a long time, were of course even more intolerable to this kind of life. They were tired of Savonarola faster than they were tired of the Medici family.Savonarola set a trap for himself by addressing others in the past.For example, since he said that everything that can be burned by fire is a devil, and that he is not only indestructible but can perform all kinds of miracles, the townspeople want to see the miracle that he himself can withstand the fire without being destroyed.It happened that the religious extremism he preached also condemned the Pope of Rome, so the Pope condemned him for heresy and burned him to death in the Senoria Square at the entrance of the Medici family’s house. It is an indestructible miracle. did not appear.Now there is still a bronze round base on the ground near the fountain in this square. The stele shows that this is the place where Savonarola was burned. This small piece of copper base is a scar worth pondering. Two historical forces, one based on democracy and the other based on civilization, are tearing up bloody cracks here.Today's visitors hardly notice it, simply stomping on it gleefully and looking up at Michelangelo's David. The evaluation of Savonarola in the Chinese historian circles is very different. Some people in mainland China regard him as a fighter for democracy who was killed by reactionary forces, and some people in Taiwan regard him as a demon monk. I disagree with these two statements.I have seen his portrait, with black cloth head, strange light in his eyes, thin cheeks and plump lips, one can imagine that he must have been very infectious when he criticized Florence in the Renaissance in public in the monastery. The Savonarola incident raised the standards of the citizens of Florence a bit, and they began to treat the Medici family with a calmer attitude.But since the death of Lorenzo, Florence has never had a strong ruler, and has been in civil strife and decline for a long time.The Medici family stepped down again in the 1620s, and they still held the ruling power of the city until the 1740s when they naturally withdrew because the family had no heirs. A city, a family, a movement, a pile of scars, just like this, a piece of history is intertwined and intertwined intermittently.Today, many of the winding places have become loose and brittle, so they appear particularly simple or obscure.Traveling to Florence is like playing hide-and-seek with history in an empty family compound. The only ones who can get hold of them are those artists.