preview

European Collectors Of The 16th And 17th Centuries

Decent Essays

European Collectors of the 16th and 17th Centuries:
Perhaps two of the most noteworthy art collections in the 1500’s were the collections of the Medici, well know patrons of the arts and of many well-known artists; also the Habsburgs of Austria Known then as the Holy Roman emperors who were known for having an eclectic collection ranging from scientific tools and exotic stuffed animals to religious artefacts and Paintings. Then in the seventeenth century in Britain another famous collector comes forth, Charles I who had a taste for art that showed the divine right of kings and had a love for Rubens and Van Dyke’s painting style. I have selected these Rulers due to the fact that they were not only collectors but were also patrons of artworks which shows a complete devotion to art, not in just admiring art from the past which had become noteworthy through the popularity of the artist; but because the encouraged contemporary artists, and as such had a lasting impact on art despite them not being directly behind the works.
The Medici family were the rulers of Florence during the Renaissance due to their influence in banking. They were well known for their patronage to artists, some famous artist being Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci. The vast commissions of artworks started out as being for atonement for the sin of usury, however as the Renaissance moved on and art started to reflect the change in attitude towards subject matter; going from the focus

Get Access