Overview

It was one of the most concentrated surges of creativity in the history of civilization. Between 1390 and 1537, Florence poured forth an astonishing stream of magnificent artworks. But Florentines did more during this brief period than create masterpieces. As citizens of a fractious republic threatened from below, without, and within, they also were driven to reimagine the political and ethical basis of their world, exploring the meaning and possibilities of liberty, virtue, and beauty. This vibrant era is brought to life in rich detail by noted historian Lawrence Rothfield in The Measure of Man. His highly readable account introduces readers to a city teeming with memorable individuals and audacious risk-takers, capable of producing works of the most serene beauty and acts of the most shocking violence. Rothfield's cast of characters includes book hunters and book burners, devout Christians and assassins, humble pharmacists and arrogant oligarchs, all caught up in a dramatic struggle--a tragic arc running from the cultural heights of republican idealism in the early fifteenth century, through the aesthetic flowerings and civic vicissitudes of the age of the Medici and Savonarola, to the brooding meditations of Machiavelli and Michelangelo over the fate of the dying republic.

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9781538143360

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Reviews

A vibrant chronicle of the political and artistic ventures of Renaissance Florence, whose citizens attempted to stave off encroaching tyranny as humanists delved into ancient texts to forge a new culture and painters and sculptors created glorious artworks. As Rothfield persuasively argues, we still have much to learn from the ways political struggle and artistic experiment intertwined in the scintillating and tumultuous Quattrocento.--Rebecca Zorach, Mary Jane Crowe Professor of Art and Art History at Northwestern University Democracy, freedom, civic participation, prosperity, and social vigor battle tyranny, foreign interference, suppression, disparities of wealth, and pandemics in the rise and fall of the republic. Though the themes strongly resonate today, the setting is Renaissance Florence. Lawrence Rothfield provides a highly readable account of the shaping of this most influential of cities, wonderfully blending the republic's political and economic tensions with tales of artistic creativity and innovation, and adeptly using such characters as the Medicis, Machiavelli, and Michelangelo to do so.--Richard Kurin, Distinguished Scholar, Smithsonian Institution Larry Rothfield is one of today's great minds and finest writers. In this elegant volume, he turns his attention to examining the creative, ingenious, complex, and fascinating history of Florence. From nefarious assassinations to masterful paintings, from courtly intrigue to wondrous inventions, Florence may have been small, but like its mascot, David, it packed a powerful punch and made an indelible mark on the history books.--Noah Charney, professor of art history and best-selling author of Collector of Lives: Giorgio Vasari and the Invention of Art A warm and welcoming introduction to Florence and its history, perfect for students and for travelers who want to understand the stories hidden in the city's layers and architecture, all written with true erudition and love.--Ada Palmer, author of Reading Lucretius in the Renaissance and the award-winning Terra Ignota series This is just the book I wanted but couldn't find when I first became interested in Renaissance Florence. It's a delightful read, full of fascinating color and detail.--Jo Walton, award-winning author of Among Others, The Just City, and Lent Want to feel the majesty and drama that made Florence the glory of Renaissance Italy? Rothfield's propulsive, witty, erudite history of the city-state is a must. Here's a guide to the genius, passions, politics, and noble and base motives of its creators, its rulers, and those who sought to favor them and usurp them. Rothfield helps us feel how the outsized impact of this remarkable city grew and ultimately faded, and why its power dimmed but its splendor endures. Readers may want to draw contemporary parallels to Renaissance Florence's bravura cultural ambitions and political machinations--go right ahead--but this book's real strength is making a magnificent place magnificently alive.--Ted C. Fishman, bestselling author of China, Inc. and Shock of Gray

Democracy, freedom, civic participation, prosperity, and social vigor battle tyranny, foreign interference, suppression, disparities of wealth, and pandemics in the rise and fall of the republic. Though the themes strongly resonate today, the setting is Renaissance Florence. Lawrence Rothfield provides a highly readable account of the shaping of this most influential of cities, wonderfully blending the republic's political and economic tensions with tales of artistic creativity and innovation, and adeptly using such characters as the Medicis, Machiavelli, and Michelangelo to do so.--Richard Kurin, Distinguished Scholar, Smithsonian Institution Larry Rothfield is one of today's great minds and finest writers. In this elegant volume, he turns his attention to examining the creative, ingenious, complex, and fascinating history of Florence. From nefarious assassinations to masterful paintings, from courtly intrigue to wondrous inventions, Florence may have been small, but like its mascot, David, it packed a powerful punch and made an indelible mark on the history books.--Noah Charney, professor of art history and best-selling author of Collector of Lives: Giorgio Vasari and the Invention of Art A warm and welcoming introduction to Florence and its history, perfect for students and for travelers who want to understand the stories hidden in the city's layers and architecture, all written with true erudition and love.--Ada Palmer, author of Reading Lucretius in the Renaissance and the award-winning Terra Ignota series This is just the book I wanted but couldn't find when I first became interested in Renaissance Florence. It's a delightful read, full of fascinating color and detail.--Jo Walton, award-winning author of Among Others, The Just City, and Lent Want to feel the majesty and drama that made Florence the glory of Renaissance Italy? Rothfield's propulsive, witty, erudite history of the city-state is a must. Here's a guide to the genius, passions, politics, and noble and base motives of its creators, its rulers, and those who sought to favor them and usurp them. Rothfield helps us feel how the outsized impact of this remarkable city grew and ultimately faded, and why its power dimmed but its splendor endures. Readers may want to draw contemporary parallels to Renaissance Florence's bravura cultural ambitions and political machinations--go right ahead--but this book's real strength is making a magnificent place magnificently alive.--Ted C. Fishman, bestselling author of China, Inc. and Shock of Gray

Author Information

Lawrence Rothfield is associate professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of Chicago. He is the editor of Antiquities under Siege: Cultural Heritage Protection after the Iraq War (AltaMira 2008) and the author of The Rape of Mesopotamia: Behind the Looting of the Iraq Museum (University of Chicago Press, 2009). The latter book received strong media coverage and was widely and well-reviewed (the Atlantic praised it for its “jaw-dropping details”). He is currently working together with PBS film-maker Ric Burns on a treatment for a documentary on Renaissance Florence. Rothfield currently lives in Chicago.

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