Holiday Special: The Magi of Florence

Send us a textThe Magi, or the Three Wise Men who followed the star of Bethlehem to find the infant Christ, are essential components of understanding religious life in Florence. In the 1400's under Cosimo de' Medici, the culture around the Magi was appropriated to establish a parallel between local devotion and Medici power and patronage. This episode highlights how the Magi became a symbol for the Medici family, and how the use of a popular Christmas theme enabled a vivid propaganda based on...