Archivio Corsini in Florence, Italy

Photos from one of the largest private archives by the family Corsini from 1020 until 1960

Archivio is an ongoing project about private archives. The photos shown here were shot 2012 in the archive of the Tuscan family Corsini in Palazzo Corsini al Parione in Florence. Documents accumulated in the archive date from the 11th to the 20th century. In 2014 the archive, due to a division of the estate, has been moved to Villa le Corti outside Florence.

History of the family Corsini

The Corsini family originated from the areas of Poggibonsi and from the “Pesa” valley between Siena and Florence. They arrived in Florence towards the end of the 12th century. During the 14th century, they gained prominence as politicians, traders, and churchmen in what was the Republic of Florence. They gave to Florence twelve Priors and forty-seven Galfonieres of Justice the highest appointments in Florence. Over the centuries the family became very powerful accumulating their fortune over trading and banking like many other Florentine families.

At the end of the 15th century, the political influence of the Corsini family decreased, mainly because of the seizure of power carried out by the Medici family. Though some of the Corsinis opposed the Medici, the family as a whole continued to flourish in business and politics under Medici rule, acquiring titles, lands, and offices.

The 18th and 19th centuries marked the height of the Corsini family. Lorenzo Corsini was made Pope with the name of Clemente XII. He founded the museum Capitolini and commissioned the Fontana di Trevi and the facade of Santa Maria Maggiore amongst other achievements. Clemente XII was the first pope to ban freemasonry. Several other family members held important position until the late 19th century.

The family still exists today, with three main branches based in London, Florence, Rome, Milan, Belgium, the United States, the Philippines and Brazil.