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**Florence's Renaissance Legacy:** Florence achieved preeminence in the visual arts during the Renaissance, as epitomized by Giorgio Vasari's writings. This prominent art historian's "Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects" lauded Florentine artists like Michelangelo and Brunelleschi for their unparalleled creativity, establishing Florence as an unrivaled hub of artistic prowess and pioneering innovative techniques that left an indelible mark on Western art.