THE WORLD OF ART

In the Middle Ages, Christianity inspired most art, and patronage outside of the Church was not common. At the beginning of the Renaissance, wealthy families including the Medici became patrons of the arts. The Medici in particular supported the arts because they believed in the importance of culture. The best artists of the time, such as Michaelangelo and Donatello, thrived under Medici patronage. The Medici commissioned art partly for political purposes, not solely to show devotion to God.