The study of the natural sciences and botanical and zoological illustration in Tuscany under the Medicis from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries.
A vast body of botanical and zoological illustrations was produced in Tuscany between the sixteenth and the eighteenth century. This artistic activity was made possible by the humanistic-scientific tradition which had been established in Florence during the late fifteenth century, and was further encouraged by the Medici dynasty. The contributions made by three uniquely talented and original artists are discussed. Jacopo Ligozzi produced paintings of plants and animals whose scientific accuracy and artistic quality far surpassed anything achieved by his predecessors. The miniaturist Giovanna Garzoni produced floral paintings for the Medici family. Bartolomeo Bimbi combined the genre of botanical and zoological illustration with that of the still life to create works of striking originality. The crucial role played by the new scientific institutions created during the Renaissance is also discussed. A permanent artists' studio was set up in the mid-sixteenth century at Pisa Botanic Garden. Members of Accademia del Cimento in Florence engaged in pioneering studies with the microscope, a newly invented instrument which gave scientists and artists an entirely new perspective on the natural world. The scientist Francesco Redi carried out important work with the help of the artist Filizio Pizzichi who prepared stunning microscopic studies of insects.
Tongiorgi Tomasi
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Department of Art History, University of Pisa, Italy.
D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D007558:Italy; D008488:Medical Illustration / Q000266:history*; D008512:Medicine in the Arts; D019021:Natural History / Q000266:history*