From a philosophical, artistic and aesthetic point of view, there was a uniform return to the sobriety of the Greek and Roman classics and the centrality of man as the ruler of nature, for the first time, master of his own destiny, was affirmed.
From a political point of view, on the other hand, Italy saw its territory divided into regional states governed by lords and prominent families not powerful enough, however, to prevail over each other and create a single state.
It is within this scenario that the promotion of culture and art becomes an essential prerogative in determining the greatness of a lord and his court, of equal importance to the abilities demonstrated in ruling militarily. Lords surrounded themselves with men of letters, painters, sculptors, architects and asked them to embellish their courts, to create the right setting for the increasingly widespread festive celebrations, true public demonstrations of magnificence and power.