This assignment is a study of how fascination with the Classical world appears in Leonardo Bruni’s “Laudatio of the City of Florence” and then visually in Bruni’s final resting place.
Background
While internal political struggles were always contentious in Florence, the first 30 years of the Quattrocento required Florentine leaders to focus on outside threats. The powerful northern Duchy of Milan nearly gained control of Florence in 1402. In 1414, the threat came from the Kingdom of Naples. And during the 1420’s Milan, again, attempted a take-over of the small Republic of Florence.
Florence maintained its independence and the town’s bolstered civic pride probably had no stronger voice than that of humanist Leonardo Bruni who served as Chancellor of Florence during 1410-1411 and from 1427 to his death in 1444. Bruni’s patriotism centered on the idea of the town as an egalitarian Republic ruled by a body of equals whose terms were limited and power kept in check. This was in enormous contrast to most of Europe which was still largely feudal in political make-up.
In his “Laudatio of the City of Florence” from around 1403, Bruni extoled Florence and its republican virtues in glowing terms. As a humanist, he also squeezed in comparisons with ancient Greece and Rome. When Bruni died, a 20-foot sculpted tomb was designed for him by Bernardo Rossellino, and set into the wall of the Church of Santa Croce. The tomb was fitting for a man enamored with the Classical world and ancient Republican politics.
Assignment
For this essay, discuss Classical references as they appear in Bruni’s Laudatio, and then note the Greco-Roman visual motifs as they appear in Rossellino’s design for the tomb (textbook illustration 7.1). In your writing, prove to your reader the Florentine fascination and identification with the Classical world.
This essay should be 750-1000 words double-spaced, roughly 3-4 pages. Include any research sources. Submit your essay by the conclusion of Week 2. This essay is worth 5% of the course grade
