Giovanni di Cosimo de' Medici
Encyclopedia
Giovanni de' Medici was an Italian
banker and patron of arts.
Born in Florence
, he was the son of Cosimo de' Medici
the Elder and Contessina de' Bardi
, and brother to Piero the Gouty
.
Unlike the latter, he enjoyed good health and was seen by Cosimo as his probable successor. From 1438 he directed the branch of the family bank in Ferrara
. He received also a humanist
ic education, showing a major interest in music.
In 1454 he was elected Prior of Florence and the following year he was a member of the delegation which received Pope Pius II
in the city. The following year Cosimo made him general director of the Medici bank, but, unsatisfied because of Giovanni's distraction in arts and other activities, assigned to him Francesco Sassetti
as tutor.
Giovanni married Ginevra degli Alessandrini on 20 January 1453. The two had only one child, Cosimino, who died in 1459 at the age of eight. Giovanni had probably two more illegitimate children, who both died young.
He died in 1463, and was buried in the Basilica di San Lorenzo
. Later a monument was sculpted for him and his brother by Andrea Verrocchio.
Giovanni Medici was a famous patron of arts. He had the Villa Medici a Fiesole built by Michelozzo Michelozzi (but probably in collaboration with Giovanni's friend, Leon Battista Alberti). He had a large collection of sculptures, coins, manuscripts, jewels, musical instruments and other material. Artists who worked for him included: Mino da Fiesole
, Desiderio da Settignano
, Donatello
, Domenico Veneziano
, Filippo Lippi
and Pesellino.
Giovanni di Cosimo de Medici in Popular Fiction
In Greg Ahlgren's international thriller, The Medici Legacy, a low-level deputy inspector with the Italian Polizia di Stato discovers that the seemingly random victims of a Tuscan serial killer are all actually illegitimate descendants of Giovanni di Cosimo de Medici. When his superiors and the Italian military police attempt to stonewall his investigation on the basis of "national security," he travels on his own to America to unravel the secret.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
banker and patron of arts.
Born in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, he was the son of Cosimo de' Medici
Cosimo de' Medici
Còsimo di Giovanni degli Mèdici was the first of the Medici political dynasty, de facto rulers of Florence during much of the Italian Renaissance; also known as "Cosimo 'the Elder'" and "Cosimo Pater Patriae" .-Biography:Born in Florence, Cosimo inherited both his wealth and his expertise in...
the Elder and Contessina de' Bardi
Contessina de' Bardi
Contessina de Bardi was born in about 1390 and died in Florence in October 1473.-Di Bardi Family:The family of Contessina de Bardi had been exceptionally rich for some time but, following the collapse of the family bank in 1343, its importance was considerably reduced. They enjoyed some fame as...
, and brother to Piero the Gouty
Piero di Cosimo de' Medici
Piero di Cosimo de' Medici , , was the de facto ruler of Florence from 1464 to 1469, during the Italian Renaissance. He was the father of Lorenzo the Magnificent and Giuliano de' Medici-Biography:Piero was born in Florence, the son of Cosimo de' Medici the Elder and Contessina de' Bardi...
.
Unlike the latter, he enjoyed good health and was seen by Cosimo as his probable successor. From 1438 he directed the branch of the family bank in Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
. He received also a humanist
Renaissance humanism
Renaissance humanism was an activity of cultural and educational reform engaged by scholars, writers, and civic leaders who are today known as Renaissance humanists. It developed during the fourteenth and the beginning of the fifteenth centuries, and was a response to the challenge of Mediæval...
ic education, showing a major interest in music.
In 1454 he was elected Prior of Florence and the following year he was a member of the delegation which received Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini was Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464. Pius II was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family...
in the city. The following year Cosimo made him general director of the Medici bank, but, unsatisfied because of Giovanni's distraction in arts and other activities, assigned to him Francesco Sassetti
Francesco Sassetti
Francesco Sassetti was an Italian banker.-Biography:He was born in Florence, the youngest son of Tommaso Sassetti. He is first recorded as joining the famous Medici bank in either 1438 or 1439 as a factor to the Avignon branch, employed by Cosimo de' Medici...
as tutor.
Giovanni married Ginevra degli Alessandrini on 20 January 1453. The two had only one child, Cosimino, who died in 1459 at the age of eight. Giovanni had probably two more illegitimate children, who both died young.
He died in 1463, and was buried in the Basilica di San Lorenzo
Basilica di San Lorenzo di Firenze
The Basilica di San Lorenzo is one of the largest churches of Florence, Italy, situated at the centre of the city’s main market district, and the burial place of all the principal members of the Medici family from Cosimo il Vecchio to Cosimo III...
. Later a monument was sculpted for him and his brother by Andrea Verrocchio.
Giovanni Medici was a famous patron of arts. He had the Villa Medici a Fiesole built by Michelozzo Michelozzi (but probably in collaboration with Giovanni's friend, Leon Battista Alberti). He had a large collection of sculptures, coins, manuscripts, jewels, musical instruments and other material. Artists who worked for him included: Mino da Fiesole
Mino da Fiesole
Mino da Fiesole , also known as Mino di Giovanni, was an Italian sculptor from Poppi, Tuscany. He is noted for his portrait busts.-Career:...
, Desiderio da Settignano
Desiderio da Settignano
Desiderio da Settignano, real name Desiderio de Bartolomeo di Francesco detto Ferro was an Italian sculptor active during the Renaissance.-Biography:...
, Donatello
Donatello
Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi , also known as Donatello, was an early Renaissance Italian artist and sculptor from Florence...
, Domenico Veneziano
Domenico Veneziano
Domenico Veneziano was an Italian painter of the early Renaissance, active mostly in Perugia and Tuscany.Little is known of his birth, though he is thought to have been born in Venice, hence his last name. He then moved to Florence in 1422-23 as a boy, to become a pupil of Gentile da Fabriano. He...
, Filippo Lippi
Filippo Lippi
Fra' Filippo Lippi , also called Lippo Lippi, was an Italian painter of the Italian Quattrocento .-Biography and works:...
and Pesellino.
Giovanni di Cosimo de Medici in Popular Fiction
In Greg Ahlgren's international thriller, The Medici Legacy, a low-level deputy inspector with the Italian Polizia di Stato discovers that the seemingly random victims of a Tuscan serial killer are all actually illegitimate descendants of Giovanni di Cosimo de Medici. When his superiors and the Italian military police attempt to stonewall his investigation on the basis of "national security," he travels on his own to America to unravel the secret.