Art Institute of Chicago

Francesco de' Medici

Attributed to Alessandro Allori (Italian, 1535–1607)

Date

c. 1560

Medium

Oil on panel

Culture

Italy

Department

Painting and Sculpture of Europe

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Francesco de’ Medici was the oldest son of Florentine duke Cosimo I de’ Medici and Eleanora di Toledo, great patrons of the arts who instilled the same appreciation in their children. Francesco is shown here displaying a cameo of an unidentified female figure, highlighting his interest in collecting. One of his creations as a patron was the so-called Studiolo in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, a space dedicated to the appreciation of refined, intricate works of art and scientific curiosities. Francesco succeeded his father as Grand Duke of Tuscany only grudgingly, preferring a life of scholarship to statecraft.

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