Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Jonathon Keats is a writer and artist who critiques museum exhibits. When Cosimo I de’ Medici became the second duke of Florence, ...

Attributed as a saying of Cosimo de' Medici 1. Born into a Banker's FamilyCosimo de' Medici was born in Florence in 1389. His ...

The image of the virile duke dressed in immaculate armor with brilliant crimson trimmings, known as Cosimo I de’ Medici in armour (c. 1545), was replicated widely and has at least 25 versions, ...

The young duke is dressed in a splendid suit of armour, lined with carmine velvet, and with rather alarming spikes at the pectorals. His long, elegant fingers rest on his helmet, by his side, and his ...

For over three centuries the Medici family dominated Renaissance Florence and much of its economic, political and cultural life. In the arts, the wealthy family is largely remembered for its patronage ...

With brief exceptions, the Medici ruled Florence from the mid-15th until the mid-18th century, rising from the lowly rank of traders in textiles to become bankers, warlords and grand dukes. When one ...