Decentralized Renaissance: Giovanni de' Medici – The House of Medici

Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici (c. 1360 – Feb 1429) – The Medici Bank founder.



Giovanni’s uncle Vieri de’ Medici, introduced him to the Florentine banking system, where he worked his way up the ranks. When Vieri retired, he left his banking interests to Giovanni, who parlayed that into founding the Medici family bank 4 years later. After this the bank expanded rapidly, securing role of Chief Papal Banker and becoming an early multi-national company. From early on, the Medici family were patrons of the arts, with Giovanni commissioning sculptures from Donatello for the Church of San Lorenzo. He also expanded the Medici into a 2nd guild, Arte del Cambio, yet stayed humble.

The House of Medici: From beginnings as sheepherders in the Mugello region of Tuscany, the Medici family rose in prominence to become the greatest of all patrons of artists, ushering in the Renaissance and rising in influence to de facto rulers of Florence, Popes, Dukes & Queens.

1/1 NFT + Physical oil painting