“PORTRAIT OF GIULIANO DE’ MEDICI” (1478-80).
ACADEMIA DE CARRARA, BERGAMO
“ADORATION OF THE MAGI” (DETAIL) (1475).
BASILICA OF SANTA MARIA NOVELLA, FLORENCE“PORTRAIT OF MAN WITH A MEDAL OF COSIMO THE
ELDER” (1474-75). UFFIZI GALLERY, FLORENCE- Giuliano de’ Medici
Giuliano began his co-rule of Florence
with his brother, Lorenzo, in 1469. After
Giuliano’s murder in 1478, Botticelli
was commissioned to paint a memorial
portrait, a vibrant yet quiet piece that
simply depicts Giuliano with both a
saintly and a regal air.
2. Cameo Roles
Botticelli’s 1475-76 “Adoration of the
Magi” shows the Medici in several
roles: Cosimo de’ Medici is one of the
Wise Men, and some say that the red-
clad figure (above, middle) is his son
Lorenzo, Florence’s co-ruler when the
painting was created.
3. Gold Medal
Hair flowing free, a young man holds up
a gold medallion bearing the likeness of
Cosimo de’ Medici. The identity of the
sitter is unknown, and many historians
have speculated as to his relationship
to the artist and to the Medici. Some
believe he may be the coin’s designer.
3SCALA, FLORENCE ALBUM SCALA, FLORENCE