ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter begins with a presentation of the subject of the volume – the Del Riccio family – and the role played by a “secular cult” of Michelangelo in securing the family's social rise in Florence, Rome, and Naples. It then outlines the main content of the individual chapters and the artistic choices of the various family members. Here, several aspects shared by multiple members of the Del Riccio family are also revealed: specifically, their use of marriage and business ties to achieve success and their role as cultural mediators, trading in luxury goods but also circulating men, art, and models between cities. The introduction closes with a note about methodology and the documents preserved in the Naldini Del Riccio archive that comprise the primary source material for this volume.
