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Orsanmichele
A Medieval Grain Market and Confraternity
Series: - The Medieval Mediterranean, Volume: 131
Author:
This work provides a new narrative for Orsanmichele in the era before the Renaissance. It examines Orsanmichele from the mid-thirteenth century, as the piazza transformed into the cityâs grain market. It considers the marketâs tandem confraternity, with its stunning Madonnas over three successive loggias. It examines the grain market and confraternity from a social, economic, political, and artistic perspective. It provides extensive data on the Florentine grain trade, sales at the market, and the nexus between traders, political leaders, and the confraternity. The work suggests that developments at Orsanmichele during the medieval period formed the basis for the Renaissance structure.
Marie DâAguanno Ito, Ph.D. (2014), Affiliate Faculty, George Mason University, focuses on Florentine medieval economic, social, religious, art, and legal history. Dr. Ito is also an attorney and has practiced securities law for many years, with research papers and publications in both history and securities law.
Contents
Abbreviations and Conventions
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Introduction
â1âOrsanmichele: An Overview of the Volume
1 Background
â1âDemographic Changes and a Transforming City
â2âPolitical Changes and Challenges
â3âA Florentine Culture of Grain: Private Transactions Outside of Orsanmichele with Grain as a Traditional âCurrencyâ of Business
â4âFlorentine Consumption of Grain
â5âChapter Conclusion: A Growing Population and Transitioning City in Need of Grain
2 The Florentine Grain Market at Orsanmichele
â1âContext for a Large Market: The Angevin Kingdom of Naples as a New Source of Florentine Wheat
â2âThe Marketâs Origins and Context
â3âOrsanmichele: Basic Market Features
â4âProducts and Measurements
â5âTrading, Prices, Settlements
â6âTraders, Fair Dealing, and Supporting Features: An Overview
â7âChapter Conclusion: A Complex Market Served Its Populace
3 Market Agents and Regulation
â1âMarket Participants: International, Regional, and Contado Dealers
â2âCommunal-Level Regulation: âAbundancia,â Export Bans, Sei della Biada, and Traders Serving in the Priorate
â3âSenior Guilds: The Calimala and Cambio in Relation to the Grain Business
â4âA Lesser Guild of the Grain Business: Oliandoli e Pizzicagnoli
â5âApprenticeships for the Grain Trade and a Grain Dealerâs Profile
â6âChapter Conclusion: Vigorous Market Participants and Oversight
4 Market Character: Lenziâs Orsanmichele, and the Mercato Vecchio in Context
â1âDomenico Lenzi: A Mid-level Grain Trader
â2âOrsanmichele and the Mercato Vecchio Compared
â3âChapter Conclusion: A Multilayered Trading and Regulatory Structure; A Focused Orsanmichele and a Varied Mercato Vecchio
5 Supplying the Market at Orsanmichele
â1âA Bounty from the South via Florentine PublicâPrivate Trading: A Detailed Consideration
â2âA Florentine Mediterranean Grain Network, and Mechanics of Grain Transportation from the Southern Peninsula and Sicily to Florence
â3âSupplemental Acquisitions from Sicily and via Genoa
â4âRegional and Contado Markets
â5âRoads Supporting the Market, and Communal Engagement
â6âChapter Conclusion: A Complex Supply System Sustained the Grain Market
6 The Loggias and Madonna of Orsanmichele
â1âThe Virgin Protects a Politically Vulnerable Market
â2âThe Three Loggias of Orsanmichele, and the Virgin Wards off Heresy
â3âThe First Loggia: The Saints and First Madonna, and St. Michael Yields to the Virgin
â4âThe Virgin of the First and Second Loggias: Fresco as Opposed to Panel and Settings
â5âPortrayals of the Madonna of the Second Loggia
â6âVeiling, Location, and Context
â7âChapter Conclusion: Reflections on the Madonna
7 The Madonna and Her Confraternity
â1âFounding, Miracles, and Growth of the Confraternity
â2âA Formula for Long-Term Success: The Structure of the Confraternity
â3âPrayer, Alms, a Communal Alliance, and Serving the Florentine Populace
â4âMarket Time and Confraternity Time: Sharing Space in Sequence
â5âPolitical Struggles and a Setback: The Fallen Piazza and Its Restoration
â6âChapter Conclusion: Reflections on the Confraternity
8 A Year of Dearth, 1329â1330
â1âA Popular and a Market Perspective
â2âThe Crisis of April 1329: A Popular Cry for Wheat, and the Market and the Communeâs Reaction
â3âCommunal Measures to Control the Market: June 1329 into 1330
â4âThe Commune, Market, and Confraternity United for the Greater Good
â5âChapter Conclusion: A Creative Commune Works to End the Crisis
9 Famine as Opposed to Dearth, Stress Points, and the Market Preserved
â1âA Famine or a Dearth?
â2âA Critical Stress Point: Consumers from the Contado and Distant Locations
â3âPreservation of the Market as an Institution
â4âChapter Conclusion: The Communeâs Success and a Resilient Market
10 A Parting of Ways: The Confraternity Renounces Its Life-Giving Market
â1âA Physically Compromised Second Loggia
â2âThe Flood of 1333
â3âActions toward a New Loggia
â4âThe End of the Grain Market at Orsanmichele
Conclusion: Vibrant Centuries before the Renaissance Loggia
Appendix 1: Selected Private Account Wheat and Grain Transactions Indicating the Price per Staio outside of the Market
Appendix 2: Selected Florentine Grain Exports from the Southern Peninsula and Sicily, 1276â1329
Appendix 3: Selected Grain Qualities at Orsanmichele
Appendix 4: Wheat and Grain Sales at the Market of Orsanmichele, 1329â1330
Appendix 5: Confraternity of Orsanmichele Officials, Communal Leadership, Traders
Appendix 6: Dearths and Other Events, Twelfth to Early Fourteenth Centuries
Appendix 7: Wheat and Grain Prices (Charts)
Appendix 8: Selections from Domenico Lenziâs Account, Spring 1329
Appendix 9: Markets, Exchanges, and Orsanmicheleâs Grain Market: Modern Market Traits and Basic Bibliography
Bibliography
Index
Abbreviations and Conventions
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Introduction
â1âOrsanmichele: An Overview of the Volume
Part 1: The Market of Orsanmichele and Its Context
1 Background
â1âDemographic Changes and a Transforming City
â2âPolitical Changes and Challenges
â3âA Florentine Culture of Grain: Private Transactions Outside of Orsanmichele with Grain as a Traditional âCurrencyâ of Business
â4âFlorentine Consumption of Grain
â5âChapter Conclusion: A Growing Population and Transitioning City in Need of Grain
2 The Florentine Grain Market at Orsanmichele
â1âContext for a Large Market: The Angevin Kingdom of Naples as a New Source of Florentine Wheat
â2âThe Marketâs Origins and Context
â3âOrsanmichele: Basic Market Features
â4âProducts and Measurements
â5âTrading, Prices, Settlements
â6âTraders, Fair Dealing, and Supporting Features: An Overview
â7âChapter Conclusion: A Complex Market Served Its Populace
3 Market Agents and Regulation
â1âMarket Participants: International, Regional, and Contado Dealers
â2âCommunal-Level Regulation: âAbundancia,â Export Bans, Sei della Biada, and Traders Serving in the Priorate
â3âSenior Guilds: The Calimala and Cambio in Relation to the Grain Business
â4âA Lesser Guild of the Grain Business: Oliandoli e Pizzicagnoli
â5âApprenticeships for the Grain Trade and a Grain Dealerâs Profile
â6âChapter Conclusion: Vigorous Market Participants and Oversight
4 Market Character: Lenziâs Orsanmichele, and the Mercato Vecchio in Context
â1âDomenico Lenzi: A Mid-level Grain Trader
â2âOrsanmichele and the Mercato Vecchio Compared
â3âChapter Conclusion: A Multilayered Trading and Regulatory Structure; A Focused Orsanmichele and a Varied Mercato Vecchio
5 Supplying the Market at Orsanmichele
â1âA Bounty from the South via Florentine PublicâPrivate Trading: A Detailed Consideration
â2âA Florentine Mediterranean Grain Network, and Mechanics of Grain Transportation from the Southern Peninsula and Sicily to Florence
â3âSupplemental Acquisitions from Sicily and via Genoa
â4âRegional and Contado Markets
â5âRoads Supporting the Market, and Communal Engagement
â6âChapter Conclusion: A Complex Supply System Sustained the Grain Market
Part 2: The Madonna and Confraternity of Orsanmichele
6 The Loggias and Madonna of Orsanmichele
â1âThe Virgin Protects a Politically Vulnerable Market
â2âThe Three Loggias of Orsanmichele, and the Virgin Wards off Heresy
â3âThe First Loggia: The Saints and First Madonna, and St. Michael Yields to the Virgin
â4âThe Virgin of the First and Second Loggias: Fresco as Opposed to Panel and Settings
â5âPortrayals of the Madonna of the Second Loggia
â6âVeiling, Location, and Context
â7âChapter Conclusion: Reflections on the Madonna
7 The Madonna and Her Confraternity
â1âFounding, Miracles, and Growth of the Confraternity
â2âA Formula for Long-Term Success: The Structure of the Confraternity
â3âPrayer, Alms, a Communal Alliance, and Serving the Florentine Populace
â4âMarket Time and Confraternity Time: Sharing Space in Sequence
â5âPolitical Struggles and a Setback: The Fallen Piazza and Its Restoration
â6âChapter Conclusion: Reflections on the Confraternity
Part 3: A Florentine Dearth at Orsanmichele
8 A Year of Dearth, 1329â1330
â1âA Popular and a Market Perspective
â2âThe Crisis of April 1329: A Popular Cry for Wheat, and the Market and the Communeâs Reaction
â3âCommunal Measures to Control the Market: June 1329 into 1330
â4âThe Commune, Market, and Confraternity United for the Greater Good
â5âChapter Conclusion: A Creative Commune Works to End the Crisis
9 Famine as Opposed to Dearth, Stress Points, and the Market Preserved
â1âA Famine or a Dearth?
â2âA Critical Stress Point: Consumers from the Contado and Distant Locations
â3âPreservation of the Market as an Institution
â4âChapter Conclusion: The Communeâs Success and a Resilient Market
Part 4: The End of the Grain Market at Orsanmichele and Conclusion
10 A Parting of Ways: The Confraternity Renounces Its Life-Giving Market
â1âA Physically Compromised Second Loggia
â2âThe Flood of 1333
â3âActions toward a New Loggia
â4âThe End of the Grain Market at Orsanmichele
Conclusion: Vibrant Centuries before the Renaissance Loggia
Appendix 1: Selected Private Account Wheat and Grain Transactions Indicating the Price per Staio outside of the Market
Appendix 2: Selected Florentine Grain Exports from the Southern Peninsula and Sicily, 1276â1329
Appendix 3: Selected Grain Qualities at Orsanmichele
Appendix 4: Wheat and Grain Sales at the Market of Orsanmichele, 1329â1330
Appendix 5: Confraternity of Orsanmichele Officials, Communal Leadership, Traders
Appendix 6: Dearths and Other Events, Twelfth to Early Fourteenth Centuries
Appendix 7: Wheat and Grain Prices (Charts)
Appendix 8: Selections from Domenico Lenziâs Account, Spring 1329
Appendix 9: Markets, Exchanges, and Orsanmicheleâs Grain Market: Modern Market Traits and Basic Bibliography
Bibliography
Index
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