Benvenuto Cellini
Italian·1500–1571
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Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571) was a Florentine goldsmith, sculptor, and author whose swaggering autobiography is one of the great literary works of the Renaissance. Born in Florence, he trained as a goldsmith and metalworker, eventually serving popes and kings. His Perseus with the Head of Medusa (1545-54), standing in Florence's Loggia dei Lanzi, is one of the most technically ambitious bronze sculptures ever cast.
Cellini's gold saltcellar (the Saliera), made for Francis I of France, is the only surviving piece of goldsmith's work attributable to him and is now at Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum. His autobiography, full of duels, murders, escapes, and self-promotion, reads like an adventure novel and offers a vivid portrait of Renaissance Italy.
Sculptures by Benvenuto Cellini
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About Benvenuto Cellini
Perseus with the Head of Medusa (1545-54) in Florence's Loggia dei Lanzi. The bronze figure, standing over 18 feet with its base, was cast in a single pour that Cellini described dramatically in his autobiography.
The Saliera (1540-43) is an elaborate gold and enamel table sculpture made for King Francis I of France. It's now at Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and is considered the finest goldsmith work of the Renaissance.
Yes. Cellini's Vita (written 1558-66) is one of the most famous autobiographies ever written. It's packed with brawls, papal intrigues, miraculous escapes, and boastful self-promotion, offering a vivid window into Renaissance life.
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