Entry of Charles VIII into Florence

Francesco Granacci painted this Entry of Charles VIII into Florence around 1518, depicting the French king's dramatic entry into the city in 1494 that had triggered the Medici's expulsion and inaugurated the Italian Wars. Granacci was one of Michelangelo's earliest friends, the two having trained together in Ghirlandaio's workshop, and he remained a steady presence in Florentine painting through the early sixteenth century. This historical painting represents a departure from his usual devotional subjects, the dramatic political event providing an opportunity for the kind of narrative complexity that earlier Florentine painters had applied to battle scenes and civic commissions. The entry subject—a ruler's ceremonial arrival in a city—combined historical documentation with visual celebration of power, serving commemorative and perhaps cautionary functions for Florentine viewers.

The panel shows Granacci's narrative skill with detailed architectural setting, numerous figures, and the processional composition required for depicting a historical entry into the city.