Orsanmichele: Guilds and Sculptures in Renaissance Florence

One of the most historic buildings in Florence the Orsanmichele has connections to many of our most famous artists of the renaissance. They attended meetings here, did business in its walls, and some of their art decorate the nitches on the exterior of the building. The Orsanmichele building was a medieval grainery and market that eventually was remade using stone and stronger materials. A hub for the city it included meeting rooms for guilds to hold business on common ground, and at the center of the city. Merchants could sell their wares, search for materials, or even simply meet with friends. The space was key to the success of Florence in the early Renaissance. 

In this course, students will learn what guilds are and how they were structured. We will learn how guilds were key to trade and commerce in a city directing everything from hours to cost. Students will see the exterior nitches and the artistic connection between sculpture and the guild who commissioned the work of art. 

The Orsanmichele is one of the most important buildings in Renaissance Florance that you have never heard of. Let's learn why.