THE IMPORTANCE OF COSIMO DE

MEDICI IN LIBRARY HISTORY

by William F. Meehan III

osimo de Medici, the aristocratic banker in Germany are “epoch-making” (Holmes, 1969, p.
and statesman who enlivened philan- 119).
thropy in Renaissance Florence, might
When it came to his personal book collection,
have made his greatest contribution to
Cosimo preferred quality over quantity, and he added
the arts through his patronage of human-
to his library wisely. After growing up in a home with
ist libraries. Cosimo himself accumulated a superb
only three books, Cosimo by the age of 30 had as-
personal collection, but his three major library initia-
sembled a library of about 70 exquisite volumes. The
tives were charitable activities and included Italy’s first
collection reflected his literary taste and consisted of
public library, which made its way to the magnificent
classical texts as well as a mix of secular and sacred
library founded generations later by one of his descen-
works typical of collections at the time. Setting his
dants.
library, as well as other Florentine humanist libraries,
Cosimo’s patronage of libraries flourished when a apart from others in Italy in the first half of the four-
small group of Florentine intellectuals leading a revival teenth century was the accession of Greek texts, which
of the classical world and litterae humaniores sought were exceedingly scarce at the time but central to the
his support. They fostered a milieu that engendered an unifying theme of Cosimo’s excellent collection, as well
appreciation for books and learning in the benefactor as a principal scholarly interest of the humanists.
who “had a great liking for men of letters and sought
Although Cosimo’s library was closed to scholars,
their company” (da Bisticci, 1926, p. 213). Moreover,
he became essential in the effort to revive and study the
the humanist movement was accentuated by the arrival
ancients by supporting the most ardent book collector
of connoisseurship, with taste the distinctive purview of
among the Florentine humanists: Niccolò. With an
the humanist scholars (McCarthy, 1963, p. 184).
almost endless supply of florins from the Medici bank,
Cosimo “was enchanted with the delightful and culti-
Niccolò formed an uncommonly large personal library
vated world of the humanists” (de Hamel, 1994, p. 240)
of 800 books. He was a collector of such remarkable
and, starting with the Platonic Academy in Florence,
enthusiasm that he owned multiple copies of several
sponsored their endeavors in the renewal of Greek and
classical texts, which he generously circulated for
Roman civilization through its literature.
copying.
Cosimo was introduced to the initial wave of
Niccolò’s taste was exquisite, and he certainly was
humanists in Florence—among them Poggio Bracciolini
the connoisseur nonpareil among the humanists.
and Niccolò Niccoli—by his tutor Roberto Rossi. They
Primarily a scribe, his fastidious attention to form was
acquainted Cosimo with the classical world and in-
so unyielding that he copied texts himself instead of
spired in him a fascination with finding, collecting, and
relying on commissions. It thus was inevitable that he
studying its literature. Heartened by the romantic
desired a more pleasing script in his books. In partner-
wanderlust of a true bibliophile, the austere banker
ship with Poggio, Niccolò successfully imitated the
even embarked on several journeys in the hunt for
earlier Caroline minuscule in creating a new script
books, while guaranteeing just about any undertaking
called lettera anitca, known today as Roman. They also
that involved books. He financed trips to nearly every
initiated a style now identified as italic.
European town as well as to Syria, Egypt, and Greece
organized by Poggio, his chief book scout. The intrepid These innovations in the appearance of a book
and dependable Poggio famously traversed mountain- coincided with a larger humanist effort that inspired a
ous Europe to unearth treasures in forgotten abbey and shift in the classical text from a purely literary concern
cathedral libraries. His “prowlings” at St. Gall, the with content to a visual one occupied with appearance.
monastery founded in 612 A.D. in Switzerland, are “the It called for an aesthetic overhaul of the entire book,
stuff of legend” (Basbanes, 2002, p. 41), while his finds and the result clearly distinguishes the humanist

Indiana Libraries, Vol. 26, Number 3 15

manuscript from other styles. With interlaced white In the early 1460s, Cosimo also built and furnished
vine scroll gracefully bordering the attractive script on another convent library at the Badia in Fiesole over-
creamy white vellum, books in Florentine libraries such looking Florence. The greater part of the collection was
as Cosimo’s and Niccolò’s, to be sure, were more than provided by Vespasiano’s 45 scribes who, within two
texts to be learned; they were (and are) objects to years, copied nearly 200 manuscripts based on a canon
behold. “Even the smell of a clean humanist book,” list prepared at Cosimo’s request by Tommaso
observes illuminated manuscript authority Christopher Parentucelli who, later as Pope Nicholas V, founded the
de Hamel, “is strangely seductive” (1994, p. 252). Vatican Library. Parentucelli’s proposal included
religious and philosophical works, followed by treatises
Niccolò and his circle were the heart of Florentine on mathematics, and finally the humanities. Furnishing
humanism, so his library was indispensable to their the library was Vespasiano’s most celebrated commis-
intellectual life. But Niccolò’s high-minded mission was sion, which included authority for binding and for
to accumulate a library for use not only by scholars but fixing chains to the books.
also by the citizenry. He thus wrote in his will the wish
that his library remain, in perpetuity, a place of general Cosimo’s only library endeavor outside Florence, in
fact his first library, was a gift in return for Venetian
use open to a public eager for knowledge, and he
hospitality and goodwill. Thankful for the shelter
entrusted a group, headed by his leading creditor
provided during a short exile, Cosimo built and fur-
Cosimo, with the responsibility of carrying out his
nished in 1433 a library for the San Giorgio Maggiore
bequest. Cosimo, who had curtailed his personal
monastery in Venice, which Michelozzo also designed
manuscript commissions in the mid-1430s, was devot- in the conventional style. Meanwhile, the parts of
ing his time to restoring the Dominican convent at San Cosimo’s library that did not enrich the San Marco
Marco; when Niccolò died in 1437, Cosimo had the collection were dispersed to his two sons, Piero and
perfect home that would fulfill the bookman’s desire. Giovanni, who would pursue book collecting vigorously
With Cosimo’s active involvement, San Marco in friendly sibling competition; differing from their
became Italy’s first public library. Designed by father’s simple and elegant manuscript style, the sons
Michelozzo, it was “a treasure-house” (Ullman & incorporated decorative miniatures created by leading
Stadter, 1972, p. 15) and “a miracle of grace and light” painters. Over the next century, Medicis intermittently
(Parks, 2005, p. 124) from the day it opened in 1444. continued to build personal collections of varying size
Writes Medicean scholar Dale Kent (2000): but of consistent quality. In 1571, Giulio de Medici, the
former Pope Clement VII, brought together the family
It was the library … [in which] the architect’s collections and commissioned Michelangelo to design a
talents and Cosimo’s style of patronage most single library to house them in Florence.
effectively converged. The library—cool, classical,
Part of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Medician
spare, and graceful … is the architectural master Laurentian Library contains some of the world’s most
piece of San Marco. The austere character of its spectacular holdings in one of its most celebrated
design mirrored the character of its patron… The buildings. Designed by Michelangelo as a monument to
quality of the library also expressed the quality of the Medici collections, it is described by historian
Medici literary friendships. Cosimo … was chiefly Konstantinos Staikos (2000) in The Great Libraries:
responsible for making Niccolò’s legendary classical
library the nucleus of his own donation. The library The library is reached by a superb triple stairway
became a gift to the city as well as to the church, whose steps, balustrades and curves make it look
since by Niccoli’s wish, his books were to be freely more like a sculpture. It leads up from an entrance
available to all Florentine laymen. (p. 178) hall where pairs of columns stand like sentinels to
right and left of harmoniously designed niches. The
Moreover, in designing the library like a basilica but library itself is a rectangular room … with two side
with medieval library furniture and fittings, “Michelozzo walls in the same style as the walls of the entrance
succeeded in creating at the same time the architectural hall but without the columns. Some of the windows
model for the renaissance library and its most effective are of stained glass, adorned with heraldic devices
realization. The long narrow hall, divided into three … The floor and ceiling are variations on more or
parts by two rows of plain columns, vaulted and less the same design, consisting of garlands and
luminous, forms the perfect environment for ascetic palmettes framed by the rectangular panels with a
study” (Ullman & Stadter, 1972, p. 5). After the library conspicuous decorative design of linear and
opened, Florence became a popular destination of naturalistic motifs. The floor resembles a precious
Renaissance leading lights from all of Europe, because necklace of marble inlaid work, while the ceiling is
of high regard for the humanists and access to exem- of natural-colored carved wood. (p. 354)
plars in the litterae humaniores. Cosimo continued to It is the “the most dazzling library” author and
supplement the San Marco collection with books of the bibliophile Nicholas A. Basbanes says he has visited in
highest significance in all subjects. his travels (Meehan, 2005, p. 50).

16 Indiana Libraries, Vol. 26, Number 3

 Because the library was closed for nearly 200 years, Parks, Tim. (2005). Medici money: Banking, metaphys-
it lacked a coherent collection development policy. In ics, and art in fifteenth century Florence. New York
1751, however, the appointment of its first librarian and London: W.W. Norton & Company.
and the publication of its first catalog resulted in
Robathan, D. M. (1967). Libraries of the Italian Renais-
numerous and substantial accessions from families,
sance. In J.W. Thompson (Ed.), The medieval
convents, courts, and even the Italian government.
library (pp. 509-588). New York and London:
Since then, the guiding principle has been “the posses-
Hafner Publishing Company.
sion of books of highly textual or aesthetical quality,”
and it remains today “an inexhaustible source” for Staikos, K. (2000). The great libraries: From antiquity
scholars (Bibliotecae, n.d.). It comprises nine main to the Renaissance. New Castle, Delaware: Oak
collections, one of which is the San Marco Library built Knoll Press.
by Cosimo, although much of the original library was
Ullman, B. L. & Stadter, P. A. (1972). The public library
lost in an earthquake in 1457. The books owned by
of Renaissance: Niccolò Niccoli, Cosimo de Medici
Medici family members are classified by their red
and the library of San Marco. Padova: Editrice
leather binding embossed with the Medici arms. With
Antenore.
an initial collection of 3,000 manuscripts, the library
holdings now include 11,000 manuscripts, in addition ABOUT THE AUTHOR
to 566 incunables and over 1,600 sixteenth-century
printed books, as well as ancient forms of the book William F. Meehan III is senior fellow in rare books in
(Bibliotecae). the Ekstrom Library at the University of Louisville.
Besides writing descriptive metadata of illuminated
Shortly after his death in 1464, the people of
manuscript leaves, he authors a monthly newsletter
Florence named Cosimo de Medici pater patriae but,
column, “Cool Things about Cool Books,” which
according to the Renaissance library scholar Dorothy M.
features Ekstom’s rare book collections. He holds an
Robothan (1967), he correctly could be called pater
M.L.S. with a special collections specialization from
bibliothecae (p. 544). This recognition, “Father of
Indiana University, in addition to bachelor’s, master’s,
Libraries,” secures a permanent place in library history
and doctoral degrees in English.
for the benefactor whose magnanimous patronage in
Renaissance Florence was beyond compare.

REFERENCES
Basbanes, N. A. (2002). Patience and Fortitude. New
York: HarperCollins.
Bibliotecae Mediceo Laurenziana (n.d.). Retrieved
January 12, 2007, from
http://www.bml.firenze.sbn.it/
da Bisticci, V. (1926). The Vespasiano memoirs: Lives of
illustrious men of the XV century. (W. George & E.
Waters, Trans.). London: George Routledge & Sons.
(Original work published 1837.)
de Hamel, C. (1994). A history of illuminated manu-
scripts (2nd ed.). London: Phaidon.
Holmes, G. (1969). The Florentine enlightenment 1400-
50. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
Kent, D. (2000). Cosimo de’ Medici and the Florentine
renaissance: The patron’s oeurve. New Haven and
London: Yale University Press.
McCarthy, M. (1963). The stones of Florence. New York:
Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc.
Meehan, W. F. III. (2006). First impression: An inter-
view with author Nicholas A. Basbanes. Indiana
Libraries, 25(3), 48-51.

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