“Non come Signiore, ma Protettore et Padre dj tuttj noi”: Cosimo I de’ Medici’s Personal Relationships with the Artists in Vasari’s Team in the Palazzo Vecchio

In the paintings of the Quartiere di Leone X in the Palazzo Vecchio and their descriptions in the Ragionamenti, Giorgio Vasari represents the illustrious men of the Medici family as the ideal patrons of the arts. According to Vasari, an ideal patron is generous, able to appreciate and criticize art, and knows his artists. In a letter to Michelangelo, Vasari states that as a patron, Duke Cosimo I even exceeds his ancestors in generosity, dignity, and grandeur. Vasari describes him as acting ‘not as a patron, but as our protector and a father to us all.' Was Cosimo as loyal and engaged as Vasari sketched him? Based on archival research, this paper argues that Cosimo was not only actively engaged in planning the decorations, but also influenced the daily practice and composition of Vasari's team, and asked for updates about the personal matters of Vasari and some of his assistants.