I Medici – Maestri di Firenze: Viaggio nel Tempo con Cosimo de’ Medici
I Medici – Masters of Florence: Fall back in time when Cosimo Medici ruled the clan!
L’inizio del clan Medici a Firenze
The Beginning of the Medici Clan in Florence
Ho iniziato a guardare “I Medici” su Rai 1 e fin da subito mi sono trovata immersa nella trama avvincente. Dopo aver visto i primi quattro episodi di questa serie di otto, sono rimasta completamente affascinata! La storia ci riporta al consolidamento del potere dei Medici, guidato da Giovanni de’ Medici, il bis-bisnonno di Lorenzo il Magnifico. Siamo nel tardo Medioevo, nei primi anni del 1400, quando metà della popolazione di Firenze è stata spazzata via dalla peste e prima che il Duomo avesse la sua celebre cupola. Parte del fascino della serie, per me, è vedere le incredibili ricostruzioni di come Firenze doveva apparire in quel periodo storico.
I started watching “I Medici” on Rai 1, and right away I found myself immersed in its captivating story. After watching the first four episodes of this eight-part series, I’m completely hooked! The story takes us back to the consolidation of Medici power under Giovanni de’ Medici, the great-great-grandfather of Lorenzo the Magnificent. We’re in the late medieval period, the early 1400s, when half of Florence’s population had been wiped out by the plague and before the cathedral had its famous dome. Part of the charm of this series, for me, is seeing the incredible reconstructions of how Florence must have looked during this time.
Chi erano i Medici? Una dinastia che ha fatto la storia
Who Were the Medici? A Dynasty That Shaped History
I Medici sono stati protagonisti della storia di Firenze dal XV all’inizio del XVIII secolo, in particolare durante il Rinascimento. Una famiglia apparentemente spuntata dal nulla, ha costruito una fortuna attraverso l’attività bancaria, diventando sovrani di Firenze grazie a intrighi politici e trasformandosi in una delle dinastie più potenti d’Europa. Nell’albero genealogico dei Medici figurano innumerevoli cardinali, due papi, due regine di Francia e sette granduchi di Toscana.
The Medici were key figures in Florence’s history from the 15th to the early 18th century, particularly during the Renaissance. A family that seemed to emerge from nowhere built a fortune through banking, became rulers of Florence through political intrigue, and transformed into one of Europe’s most powerful dynasties. The Medici family tree includes numerous cardinals, two popes, two queens of France, and seven Grand Dukes of Tuscany.
Patroni del Rinascimento: L’eredità artistica dei Medici
Patrons of the Renaissance: The Medici’s Artistic Legacy
I Medici sono ricordati come i più grandi collezionisti d’arte della storia, fautori del Rinascimento fiorentino. Tra gli artisti che hanno lavorato per loro troviamo Filippo Brunelleschi, Donatello, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raffaello, Giorgio Vasari e Benvenuto Cellini.
The Medici are remembered as the greatest art patrons in history, champions of the Florentine Renaissance. Among the artists who worked for them are Filippo Brunelleschi, Donatello, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Giorgio Vasari, and Benvenuto Cellini.
Intrighi e potere: La trama di “I Medici”
Intrigue and Power: The Plot of “I Medici”
Giovanni de’ Medici, interpretato da Dustin Hoffman, è il patriarca della potente famiglia fiorentina. Dopo la sua morte improvvisa e misteriosa, il figlio Cosimo (interpretato da Richard Madden) diventa erede e leader della banca di famiglia e della Signoria, l’assemblea politica di Firenze. Cosimo sospetta che i nemici di famiglia, i Pazzi e gli Albizzi, siano coinvolti nella morte del padre e inizia un’indagine.
Giovanni de’ Medici, played by Dustin Hoffman, is the patriarch of the powerful Florentine family. After his sudden and mysterious death, his son Cosimo (played by Richard Madden) becomes the heir and leader of the family’s bank and Florence’s governing council, the Signoria. Cosimo suspects that the family’s enemies, the Pazzi and Albizzi, are involved in his father’s death and begins an investigation.
Consigliato! Uno sguardo creativo sulla storia
Recommended! A Creative Take on History
Mi sto godendo questo nuovo film. I set e i costumi sono deliziosi. Il cast internazionale, composto da artisti inglesi, americani e italiani, dona nuova vita ai personaggi storici. Tuttavia, bisogna ricordare che si tratta di una storia romanzata, con alcune licenze creative e imprecisioni storiche.
I’m enjoying this new series. The sets and costumes are delightful. The international cast, featuring English, American, and Italian artists, brings new life to these historical characters. However, it’s worth noting that this is a fictionalized story, with some creative liberties and historical inaccuracies.
Read the novel that was inspired by Lorenzo de’ Medici!
Dreaming Sophia
Dreaming Sophia is a magical look into Italy, language, art, and culture. It is a story about turning dreams into reality and learning to walk the fine line between fact and fantasy. When tragedy strikes, Sophia finds herself alone in the world, without direction and fearful of loving again. With only her vivid imagination to guide her, she begins a journey that will take her from the vineyards in Sonoma, California to a grad school in Philadelphia and, eventually, to Italy: Florence, Lucca, Rome, Verona, Venice, and Val d’Orcia. Through dreamlike encounters, Sophia meets Italian personalities—princes, poets, duchesses, artists, and film stars— who give her advice to help put her life back together. Following a path that takes her from grief to joy, she discovers the source of her creativity and learns to love again, turning her dreams into reality.
When I try to watch I Medici, I receive the message that it is only available to users in Italy. How do you work around that problem?
Ciao! I use the “Hola” app to access RAI Italian programming. It is a free app that you add to your browser that allows you to view programming on International sites. You can read up on it, and use it at your discretion.
I’m sure it will also be out on DVD shortly, and will be in both English and Italian and have subtitles as well.
Mille grazie, Melissa.
Thanks for this information. I happen to be in Italy right now and just the other day someone else was saying how good this series was, and I figured I had missed it. I also want to check out the “hola” app you recommend, as often I get the same message that Frank mentioned, so I’m looking forward to having access to this type of programming.
How fun to read your piece about I Medici – Masters of Florence. Unfortunately I don’t receive RAI, so I will just have to wait for the US release. It would be more fun to watch it in Italian!
I’m sure it will also be out on DVD shortly, and will be in both English and Italian and have subtitles as well. It is great fun to watch in it Italian! I recognize several of the minor characters who are Italian who have been in other Rai productions!
Thank you for the direct link to the series! I have been searching for a way to watch this from America. Have you seen Wondrous Boccaccio? It’s a film I found using my Amazon Firestick, based on Il Decameron. Very enjoyable! xo