Don Giovanni de'Medici
1567-1621
Don Giovanni de’ Medici (1567-1621) is the illegitimate son of Cosimo I de’ Medici and Eleonora degli Albizzi. He was born five years after the death of Cosimo's wife, Eleonora of Toledo in 1562.
Although later legitimized, he played no role in Florentine politics and instead embarked on a military and diplomatic career outside Tuscany, largely in Spain , where he served as the Tuscan ambassador to the Spanish court. He later served as the commander-in-chief of the Venetian forces. His activities as an amateur architect, however, all took place in Tuscany.
He studied at the Accademia del Disegno in Florence. In 1590 he designed the Fortezza Nuova at the port of Livorno, his only contribution to military architecture, and in 1593 he designed the façade of San Stefano in Pisa. In 1596 he won the competition for the façade of Santa Maria dei Fiori, Florence's Cathedral, over entries submitted by Bernardo Buontalenti, Giovanni Antonio Dosio, Lodovico Cigoli and Giovanni da Bologna; work began but was soon abandoned. In 1602 Giovanni was invited to redesign the cupola and piazza of Santa Maria di Provenzano in Siena.
His major architectural achievement was the monumental Cappella dei Principi at the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence. The chapel, built by Matteo Nigetti beginning in 1604 to a revision of Giovanni’s original design, is a grand mausoleum containing the tombs of the Medici grand dukes.
Although later legitimized, he played no role in Florentine politics and instead embarked on a military and diplomatic career outside Tuscany, largely in Spain , where he served as the Tuscan ambassador to the Spanish court. He later served as the commander-in-chief of the Venetian forces. His activities as an amateur architect, however, all took place in Tuscany.
He studied at the Accademia del Disegno in Florence. In 1590 he designed the Fortezza Nuova at the port of Livorno, his only contribution to military architecture, and in 1593 he designed the façade of San Stefano in Pisa. In 1596 he won the competition for the façade of Santa Maria dei Fiori, Florence's Cathedral, over entries submitted by Bernardo Buontalenti, Giovanni Antonio Dosio, Lodovico Cigoli and Giovanni da Bologna; work began but was soon abandoned. In 1602 Giovanni was invited to redesign the cupola and piazza of Santa Maria di Provenzano in Siena.
His major architectural achievement was the monumental Cappella dei Principi at the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence. The chapel, built by Matteo Nigetti beginning in 1604 to a revision of Giovanni’s original design, is a grand mausoleum containing the tombs of the Medici grand dukes.