Medici Armorial 1643 - 1644

This is the Medici Armorial, a large tapestry probably made in Florence. It is believed to be from the workshop of Lorenzo Lippi. The Medici family, with its immense wealth and power, played a pivotal role in shaping the political and cultural landscape of Renaissance Italy. This tapestry presents the Medici coat of arms, replete with symbolic imagery. Cherubs suspend a crown above the Medici crest, whose palle, or balls, are thought to represent coins. The whole composition speaks to the family’s wealth and status. Yet the single blue ball at the top tells another story; it represents the French coat-of-arms, an addition which signified the family's ties to the French monarchy. The Medici Armorial stands as a testament to a family’s ambition and influence during a transformative period in history. But it is also a symbol of power, privilege and political maneuvering that offers a glimpse into the complex dynamics of Renaissance society.