Florentine Villas in the Fifteenth Century: An Architectural and Social History

In this book, Amanda Lillie challenges the urban bias in Renaissance art and architectural history by investigating the architecture and patronage strategies, particularly those of the Strozzi and the Sassetti clans, in the Florentine countryside during the fifteenth century. Based entirely on unpublished archival material, her book examines a number of villas from this period and reconstructs the value systems that emerge from these sources, which defy the traditional, idealized interpretation of the ‘renaissance villa’. Here, the house is studied in relation to the families who lived in them and to the land that surrounded them. The villa emerges as a functional, utilitarian farming unit upon whose success families depended, and where dynastic and patrimonial values could be nurtured.

• Questions the urban bias in renaissance art and architectural history • Departs from previous Medici centered studies of Florentine villas to examine other renaissance patrons, their buildings and activities in the countryside • Studies houses in relation to the families that lived in them, and to the land surrounding them

Introduction; Part I. The Strozzi: 1. The acquisition and alienation of country property; 2. The agricultural estate; 3. Sites; 4. The villa complex; 5. Repair, construction and rural patronage; 6. The architecture of a ‘Casa da Signore’: Santuccio; 7. Villa interiors; 8. Villa functions and attitudes; Part II. The Sassetti: 9. The Sassetti family and their property; 10. Francesco Sassetti‘s Villa at La Pietra; 11. The Villa at La Pietra in the context of contemporary architecture; 12. The role of the Villa at La Pietra in the life of Francesco Sassetti; Conclusion; Appendix A. Selective genealogies of the Strozzi and Sassetti villa owners; Appendix B. List of Strozzi villas; Appendix C. The 1499 division among the sons of Francesco Sassetti.

‘This book is the result of a remarkable piece of research that carves out a new and important subject … conceived in two parts and as two largely separate case studies attracting rather different approaches which together provide a rich picture embracing many themes.’ Burlington Magazine