Allegorie op Cosimo III de' Medici in monumentale omlijsting (deel linksonder) 1649 - 1681

François Spierre made this print, “Allegory on Cosimo III de’ Medici in a monumental frame,” in the latter half of the 17th century. The image contains within its borders symbols that speak to the political ambitions of Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and to the cultural institutions that helped support his claims to power. Stormy seas and ships engaged in battle fill the central space, overlooked by symbols of wealth and mortality, and framed by the Medici coat of arms. Maritime power was essential to Cosimo’s vision, and the image would have been legible to contemporary audiences as a claim to authority on the seas. But the print itself can be seen as part of Cosimo’s strategy, too. Prints such as this one were luxury objects in themselves, and they were also used to disseminate the Medici brand. They offer today’s researchers a chance to consider the intersection of art, power, and politics in Cosimo’s Florence.