This chapter explores Francesco I de’ Medici’s patronage of Pratolino’s automata, blending ancient doctrines with Renaissance innovation. De’ Vieri’s 1578 description reveals these automata not as supernatural marvels but as manifestations of hidden “occult” principles, reflecting Francesco’s ambition to surpass antiquity. Philosophically grounded in Aristotle’s De Anima and Democritus’s Atomism, these creations symbolize a synthesis of art, science, and alchemy. Francesco I’s reign, influenced by alchemical pursuits and an international education, mirrored his father Cosimo I’s fascination with Hermetic philosophy and symbolic arts. His patronage extended to monumental yet idiosyncratic projects like the Studiolo of the Palazzo Vecchio and the villa and parks of Pratolino, where technical marvels and symbolic landscapes embodied his quest for knowledge and princely grandeur. The final section explores a private Medici feast in the Orti Oricellari, showcasing the court’s embrace of magical themes and scientific marvels, blurring boundaries between science, mysticism, and entertainment. Francesco I’s legacy encompasses his transformative impact on Florence’s cultural and scientific landscapes, pioneering advancements that shaped Renaissance ideals of creativity and princely authority.