Italian Renaissance art is closely intertwined with the development of courts and court culture in much of the Italian territory. The patronage of the ruling families of the small Italian city-states greatly favored the flourishing of the figurative arts and architecture, but also in music, literature, and theater. The main chapters are enriched by texts focused on particular aspects of Renaissance culture and politics. Essays are written by well-known Italian scholars - such as Franco Piperno on music, Rinaldo Rinaldi on literature, Alessandro Cecchi on Medicean Florence and Alessandro Angelini on the papal court in Rome - and are accompanied by a rich and accurate iconography, showing not only famous masterpieces but also lesser known works of art and architecture. The book is completed by an annotated bibliography for the various chapters and by an index of names and places.