From Power to Death. Cosimo I de' Medici and Florentine Nation in Rome

Starting from the analysis of the Apparato for Cosimo I's funeral in Rome in 1574 in the church of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini, this paper aims at investigating the turbulent relationship between the Duke of Florence and the Florentine Nation in Rome, from the moment of his election until his death. By looking at some highlights of this long-term connection between a powerful individual and a community of people linked by the same cultural identity and similar economic and political interests, I will address unpublished documents related to the site of the National Church up to the moment of Cosimo's funeral. I will attempt to shed new light on the role of Giorgio Vasari and Michelangelo, and on the Duke's contribution to the construction of the church. I believe that in order to better understand the symbolic value of the decorations on the Apparato for the Duke's funeral, it is necessary to investigate the political conflicts between Cosimo and those who organized and sponsored that funeral.