Cherished time in inspiring places

Marie D'Aguanno Ito traces her path from pursuing an MA at King's to authoring her 2023 book, Orsanmichele, which delves into economic, social, political and religious life in central Florence during the late medieval period. 

Treasured moment  

'I treasured the intense tutorials and readings on various aspects of medieval history. I loved studying medieval Latin manuscripts and treasured that our tutorials were held in the British Library Manuscript Room when it was housed in the British Museum. I also treasured attending seminars where leading professors from the University of London colleges discussed medieval charters and papal bulls, while examining the documents on the table in front of us.  

'The King's building provided a beautiful and majestic environment for studying. Living in Crosby Hall, Chelsea, the former home of Sir Thomas More, with its Great Hall, made my experience at King's all the more precious.'

Inspirational experience  

'After my time at King's, and further doctoral and legal studies in the US, I pursued a career in securities law. However, I eventually returned to the study of medieval history and received my doctorate in the US in 2014.  

'Since then, I have been writing about medieval work and markets, with a particular emphasis on the grain market and confraternity of Orsanmichele in Florence. Orsanmichele church, in central Florence, is a hallmark of Renaissance art and architecture. Filled with precious frescos and statues, it is still a leading site for those visiting Florence. 

'My study of the grain market includes an analysis of Orsanmichele’s beautiful Madonnas, and the early church and loggias, before the construction of the current Renaissance loggia. I am still able to read original Latin manuscripts in the Florentine archives thanks to the training I received at King's. My experience at King's continues to inspire me, and I am grateful for the excellent education that King's provided.'

My book 

'My recent book, Orsanmichele: A Medieval Grain Market and Confraternity provides a new narrative for Orsanmichele in the era before the Renaissance. It examines Orsanmichele from the mid-thirteenth century, as the piazza transformed into the city's grain market. It considers the market's tandem confraternity, with its stunning Madonnas over three successive loggias. It contains numerous manuscript images and provides extensive data on the Florentine grain trade, sales at the market, and the connection between traders, political leaders and the confraternity. The work suggests that developments at Orsanmichele during the medieval period formed the basis for the Renaissance structure.'