I n Florence, a trilogy of exhibitions are marking the 500th anniversary since the birth of the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo ‘il Primo’ de’ Medici. Set within symbolic areas of the Galleria degli Uffizi and the Palazzo Pitti, this celebration of Cosimo I’s life and deeds is proof just how much the Grand Duke was, and is, adored by the Florentines. Three exhibitions will individually examine a key characteristic of Cosimo’s reign: his military exploits, his diplomacy and his patronage.

The Hundred Lanzi of the Prince will tell the story of the Medici family's traditional personal guard corps; A Woven Biography of Cosimo will explore Cosimo’s life and government through a series of eight tapestries, and Peasant with a Barrel will examine the Pitti’s own history under the Grand Duke and his consort, Eleonora of Toledo, as they created the Boboli Gardens and installed great sculptures within them, rendering them the envy of every aristocrat in Europe.

Omaggio a Cosimo I: Cinquecento 1519 - 2019 will be on view at Galleria degli Uffizi and Palazzo Pitti from 6 June–29 September.