The conference investigates the history and culture of the Medici family through art collecting and patronage practices, from the beginning of the ducal era (1530) to the end of the Thirty Year’s War (1648). The aim is to refocus the attention on the interaction between members and close associates of the family, as well as their opponents, within a broad geographical, political and cultural framework, and to reread Medicean history and historiography from the latter’s formation to the present day. Focusing on objects, collections, and artistic mobility, the conference will reflect on the relationship between art and power, the crafting of political values, and the circulation of their symbols.