Here the manuscript of Cellini’s Life ends suddenly. Cellini died on 13 February 1571 and was buried in the chapel of the Academy of Design in the church of the Annunziata. The detailed inventory of the contents of his house included in the anticamera: swords, pistols, a Turkish knife, a silver dagger and an assegai; a large quantity of clothes and sheets; and, in a chest, the privileges awarded him by the King of France; in the dining sala: trestles, chairs and six brass candlesticks; in the camera, next to a closet with the clothes of his late wife, Madonna Piera: pewter plate and dishes and a packet of low value jewels; in another large room: a painting of St Sebastian, a framed portrait of Cellini himself; an inlaid wooden bed by Tasso; the gesso model of the Perseus and ‘una Cleopatra’; in the vault: casks of wine and hangings waiting for repair; in the stable: with saddle and saddle cloth, a white horse blind in one eye. (Cf. Pope-Hennessy, Cellini, pp. 283–4.)
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
A general, enthusiastic and authoritative assessment of Cellini’s artistic achievement is to be found in the Introduction by Pope-Hennessy to one of the texts of Symonds’ translation of the Life (Phaidon, 1949). For a fuller discussion of Cellini’s work as a sculptor, both the student and the general reader can profitably go to Pope-Hennessy’s illuminating volumes Italian High Renaissance and Baroque Sculpture (Phaidon, 1963). Tutta L’Opera del Cellini (Rizzoli, 1955) provides a useful, illustrated companion to the Life.
Avery, C., Giambologna: The Complete Sculpture (London, 1987)
Borsellino, N., ‘Benvenuto Cellini’ in Dizionario biografico degli Italiani, Vol. 23, pp. 440–51 (Rome, 1979)
Bull, G., Michelangelo: A Biography (London, 1995; New York, 1997)
Bush, V. L., Colossal Sculpture of the Cinquecenta (New York, 1976)
Cervigni, Dino Sigismondo, The ‘Vita’ of Benvenuto Cellini: Literary Tradition and Genre (Ravenna, 1979)
Cox-Rearick, J., The Collections of Francis I: Royal Treasures (Antwerp, 1995)
Plon, E., Benvenuto Cellini, orfèvre, médailleur, sculpteur: Recherches sur sa vie, sur son oeuvre, et sur les pièces qui lui sont attribuées (Paris, 1883)
Pope-Hennessy, J., Cellini (London, 1985)
Rossi, P. L., ‘Sprezzatura, patronage and fate; Benvenuto Cellini and the world of words’ in Vasari’s Florence: Artists and Literati at the Medicean Court, ed. P. Jacks, pp. 55–69 (Cambridge, 1998)
——‘The writer and the man – real crimes and mitigating circumstances – il caso Cellini’ in Crime, Sexual Misdemeanour and Social Disorder in Renaissance Italy, eds K. Lowe and T. Dean, pp. 157–83 (Cambridge, 1994)
Rubin, Patricia Lee, Giorgio Vasari: Art and History (New Haven and London, 1995)
Scalini, M., Benvenuto Cellini (New York, 1995)
Scher, Stephen K. (ed.), The Currency of Fame: Portrait Medals of the Renaissance (New York, 1994)
Vasari, Giorgio, The Lives of the Artists, a selection translated by G. Bull, 2 vols. (Penguin Books, 1987)
Wittkower, Rudolf, Sculpture: Processes and Principles (London, 1977)
Italian texts
Benvenuto Cellini: Opere non esposte e documenti notarili, ed. Dario Trento (Florence, 1984)
Cellini Vita, Ms in Biblioteca Mediceo-Laurenziana, codice Mediceo Palatino 2342, Florence.
——Vita di Benvenuto Cellini: Testo critico…, ed. O. Bacci (Florence, 1901)
——Vita, Ricordi, Prose e Poesie di B. Cellini, 3 vols. ed. F. Tassi (Florence, 1829)
Cellini, B, Vita, ed. E. Camesasca (Milan, 1995)
Opere di Baldassare Castiglione Giovanni Della Casa Benvenuto Cellini, ed. Carlo Cordie (with excellent Nota Bio – Bibliografica) (Milan–Naples, 1960)
Cellini, B., Due Trattati, intro. A. Altomonte, ed. Aldine, Modena, Fac. of 1568 ed. (Pieri, 1983)
Avery, C., Barbaglia, S., L’opera completa del Cellini (Milan, 1981)
Guglielminetti, M., Memoria e scrittura autobiografia da Dante a Cellini (Milan, 1977)
Calamandrei, P., Scritti e inediti Celliniani (Florence, 1971)
Translations into English
The Life of Benvenuto Cellini, trans. T. Nugent, 2 vols. (London, 1771)
The Life of Benvenuto Cellini, trans. J. A. Symonds, 2 vols. (London, 1887)
The Life of Benvenuto Cellini, trans. R. Cust, 2 vols. (London, 1910)
The Treatises of Benvenuto Cellini on Goldsmithing and Sculpture, trans. C. R. Ashbee (London, 1888; New York, 1967)
The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini, ed. and abridged Charles Hope and Alessandro Nova, from the translation by John Addington Symonds (Oxford, 1983)
INDEX
Acciaiuoli, Carlo, 140
Accolti, Benedetto, Cardinal of Ravenna, 63, 250
Adrian VI, Pope, 51
Adventurers (brigands), 254
Agnolo, Baccio d’, 380
Agnolo, Giuliano di Baccio d’, 361, 380
Agustino (Alessandro de’ Medici’s tailor), 156
Alamanni, Luigi: friendship with BC, 74, 274; gives BC’s medal to Francis I, 78–9; visits BC with Cardinal d’Este, 236; and BC’s salt-cellar for Cardinal d’Este, 237–8; and BC’s service with Francis I, 253; poetry, 293
Alamanni, Maddalena, 293
Albizzi, Gerolamo degli, 375–7
Aldobrandi, Bertino, 72, 86–7
Alexander VI, Pope, 204–5
Alicorno, Traiano, 79–81, 106, 129, 131
Aliotti, Pier Giovanni (later Bishop of Forli), 107
Allegretti, Antonio, 84, 146, 149
Alli, Gianstefano, 388
Almeni, Sforza, 336, 356, 370, 372
Altoviti, Bindo d’Antonio: BC’s bust of, xv, 352–6; cashier holds BC’s valuables, 229; BC gives money to, 354–5
Amadore, Francesco di Bernardino d’ see Urbino
Amalfi, Alfonso Piccolomini, Duke of, 243
Amerigo di Rigo Rigi (Amerighi), 41
Ammannati, Bartolomeo d’Antonio: invited to Michelangelo’s funeral, xiii; receives marble for Neptune statue, 382, 387–8, 393–4; and wife’s lover, 393–4
Anagni, 123
Angelica (Sicilian courtesan), xi, 113–15, 117, 121–3
Anguillara di Stabbia, Averso di Flaminio, Count of, 46, 268
Anguillotto da Lucca, 86
Annebaut (Aniballe), Admiral Claude d’, 295, 301
Antea, Signora (courtesan), 91
Anterigoli, Filippo d’, 389–93
Anterigoli, Pier Maria d’ (Sbietta), 389–90, 392–3, 395–9
Antinous, 48
Antonio di Sandro see Giamberti, Antonio di Sandro
Apollo (BC; model), 256
Apollo and Hyacinth (BC; unfinished statue), xv, 342
Arezzo: antiquities found near, 364
Argentan, 307
Arsago, Paolo, 21–2
Ascanio see Mari, Ascanio de’
Ascolano, Aurelio (?Morani), 50
Atlas (BC; medal), 74, 78
Bachiacca see Ubertino, Francesco
Badia di Farfa see Farfa
Baglioni, Orazio: in siege of Rome, 60, 63–4, 69–70
Bagno see Baths of Santa Maria
Balbo, Girolamo, Bishop of Gurck (Gurgensis), 54
Baldini, Baccio (Bernardo’s son), 368
Baldini, Bernardo (Bernardonaccio), 142, 323–4, 331–3, 367–8, 370
Balducci, Jacopo, 95
Bandinelli, Baccio: executes sculpture for Duke Cosimo, 317, 319; obstructs BC’s work, 320; BC scorns workmen, 321; maligns and envies BC, 329–30, 334; BC threatens, 335; promises marble to BC, 336, 341–2; criticises Greek statue, 338–9; BC decries work to Cosimo de’ Medici, 339–40; accuses BC of sodomy, 341; values pearl necklace for Duchess de’ Medici, 360–1; in defence of Florence against Siena, 361; praises BC’s Perseus, 368; opinion of Michelangelo’s David, 370; Duke Cosimo praises, 378; values BC’s Perseus, 379–80; work on choir of Santa Maria del Fiore, 380; and marble for Neptune statue, 382–3, 386; death, 386; Pietà (marble), 387
Bandinelli, Michelagnolo, 9,
82
Bandini, Giovan, 92
Barca, Jacopino della (Jacopo dello Sciorina), 75–6
Bartolini, Onofrio, Archbishop of Pisa, 379
Bartolomeo (husband of BC’s sister Liperata), 70
Bastiano Veneziano see Sebastiano del Piombo
Baths of Santa Maria (Bagno), 372–3
Beatrice (Angelica’s mother), 121, 123
Beatrice (servant girl), 152–3
Bellaci, Mona Andrea de’, 72
Bellarmati, Girolamo, 302
Bembo, Cardinal Pietro, 172
Bendedio, Alberto, 44, 246, 248–50
Bene, Alberto (Albertaccio) del, 127–9, 172
Bene, Albizzo del, 128
Bene, Alessandro del, 59–61, 118
Bene, Baccio del, 400–1
Bene, Piero del, 59
Bene, Ricciardo del, 179
Bene, Mme Ricciardo del, 293
Benedetto, Ser, 118–19, 124–5
Benintendi, Niccolò, 134–6
Benintendi, Piero, 134, 136–8
Berlinghieri, Berlinghier, 88
Bernardi, Giovanni (da Castel Bolognese), 117
Bernardino (Lillio, of Todi), 153
Bertoldi, Pier Francesco, 389
Bettini, Bartolomeo (Baccio), 160–1
Bevilacqua (swordsman), 39–40
Biliotti, Zana de’, 94
Bologna, 11–12
Bologna, Il see Primaticcio, Francesco
Bourbon, Charles de (Constable), 59–60
Bozza (prison guard), 198, 215
Bramante, Donato, 99
Brandini, Giovanni Battista, 378
Bronzino (Angelo di Cosimo Tori), xiii, 369, 378
Bugiardini, Giuliano, 74
Buonaccorsi, Giuliano, 179, 322, 328
Busbacca (Florentine courier), xi, 173–4, 176–8
Buti, Cecchino, 392
Caesar, Julius, 2; BC’s bust of, 265
Cagli, Benedetto da see Valenti, Benedetto
Camaldoli, 372–3
Canida (servant girl), 56
Capitaneis, Pompeo de’: rivalry with BC over papal clasp, 79–80; persuades Clement VII to take Mint from BC, 106–7; and BC’s dispute with Clement VII over chalice, 111–12; falsely reports BC’s murder of Tobbia to Clement VII, 119–20, 127; threatens BC, 127; BC stabs to death, 128–30, 207; daughter’s dowry, 133
Capretta (butcher), 349
Capretta, Ginevra, 349
Capua, Cardinal Niccolò Schomberg della Magna, Archbishop of, 77–8
Caradosso (Cristoforo Foppa), 40, 52–3, 78
Carnaro, Cardinal Marco, 38
Carnesecchi, Pietro, 125
Caro, Annibal, 84, 119, 146, 149
Carpi, Iacomo Berengaria da, 43–4, 249
Casa, Cecchino della, 60
Castel Sant’Angelo: BC imprisoned in, ix, xiii–xiv, 190–8, 209–228; BC escapes from, 199–201; BC released from, 229
Castello, 355
Castoro, Francesco, 11
Castro, Duke of see Nepi and Castro, Duke of
Caterina (BC’s model), 279–83, 287–8, 289–90, 292
Catherine de’ Medici, Dauphiness (later Queen) of France, 260, 299, 400–1
Cavalierino (Clement VII’s servant), 67, 69, 77
Cavalletti, Scipione, 12
Cellini family: coat of arms, 90
Cellini, Andrea (BC’s grandfather), 2, 4–6
Cellini, Bartolomeo (BC’s uncle), 4
Cellini, Benvenuto
ARTISTIC CAREER & WORKS: salt-cellar for Francis I, ix, 260–2, 264, 268, 291–2, 303–4; BC writes on, xiv–xv; Apollo and Hyacinth (marble sculpture), xv, 342; bust of Altoviti, xv, 352–6; bust of Cosimo de’ Medici, xv, 321, 344; Crucifix (marble), xv, 385, 387, 399; Mars (statue), xiii, 300–1; medals for Clement VII, xiii, 82–3, 85, 95, 141, 113, 117, 125–7, 143; medals and coins for Alessandro de’ Medici, xiii, 140–3, 157–8; Perseus (statue), xv, 314–15, 317, 319–20, 322, 328–30, 333–5, 337, 343–6, 351–2, 360, 363–4, 366–71, 374–9, 397; status as sculptor, xv–xvi; apprenticed to goldsmiths, 9–11, 14–17; works with miniaturist in Bologna, 12; designs silver buckle, 19–20; works with Firenzuola in Rome, 20–1; works with Arsago, 21–2; makes heart-key, 22; with Lucagnolo in Rome, 27; sets jewel for Porzia Petrucci, 28–30; vase for Bishop of Salamanca, 32–3, 35–8; seals and medals, 38–40, 53, 71, 73–4, 78, 172–3; vases for cardinals, 38; enamelling, 41; buys antique pieces, 42–3; silver vases, 43–4, 268, 272, 307–8; botanical/animal designs (‘grotesques’), 51–2; makes daggers, 51; personal rings and badges, 52–3; makes model of reliquary for Duke of Mantua, 71; works with Niccolò in Mantua, 71; jewel setting in Florence, 73; clasp (morse) for Clement VII’s cope, 78–82, 85, 90, 92, 95, 97, 103, 164; dies and coins for Clement VII’s Mint, 82–3, 85, 95, 141; opens shop in the Bianchi, 92; chalice for Clement VII, 98, 100–11, 161; loses Mint to il Fagiuolo, 106–7; dies and coins for Paul III, 130–1; gold plate for Paul III, 147; ornamental book cover for Empress, 162, 164, 168; sets diamond in ring for Paul III, 164–7; portrait head of Bembo, 172–3; basin and jug for Cardinal of Ferrara, 180, 183, 192, 236, 245–6, 248, 251, 259; workshop closed down by Paul III, 193–4; pontifical seal for Cardinal d’Este, 236–7; model of salt cellar for Cardinal d’Este, 237–9, 261; portrait medal of Duke Ercole II d’Este, 246–7; silver statues for Francis I, 255–6, 258–9, 264, 268, 276, 291–2, 303–4; vase for Francis I, 264, 268; bronze heads, 265, 268; fountain and doorway for Fontainebleau, 269–72, 285–6, 292–3, 297–8, 301–3, 305; designs dies and coins for Francis I, 284; Jupiter (statue), 299–300; Medusa head, 320, 325–6, 329, 336, 343–6, 351; Ganymede restoration for Cosimo de’ Medici, 338, 342, 344; Narcissus (sculpture), 342–3; bronze casting technique, 344–52; restores antiquities from Arezzo, 364; bronzes for Santa Maria del Fiore, 380–2; model of Neptune statue, 382–61, 388–90, 393–5, 399–401
HEALTH: fevers, 16–17, 71–2, 104, 147–54, 347–8; plague, 45–6; wounded in siege of Rome, 62; eye trouble, 101–2; venereal disease, 103–4, 112; injured hand, 123–4; convalesces after serious illness, 154–6, 163; illness in France, 179–80; breaks leg in escape, 201, 203; loses teeth, 217; kidney trouble, 321; steel splinter in eye, 343; poisoning and recovery, 393–4
PERSONAL LIFE: serves Clement VII, ix, 98; service with Francis I, ix, xv, 252–9, 267, 275–6, 296, 307, 314; literary qualities, x–xii, xvi, xix; accused and condemned for sodomy, xii & n, xiii, 281–3, 341; children, xiii, 293, 335; death and burial, xiii; marriage, xiii; practises necromancy and astrology, xiii, 113–17; takes minor orders, xiii–xiv; family background and genealogy, 2–4; birth and baptism, 5–6; catches scorpion, 6; childhood and upbringing, 6–7; plays flute and cornet, 7–12, 33–4; defends brother in fight, 11; leaves home for Pisa, 15; earnings in Rome, 21–2, 27–8, 52–3; hot temper and quarrelsomeness, 21–2, 25, 56–7, 71–2, 135; fights with Guascontis, 23–6; escapes from Florence to Rome, 27; gives money to father, 32, 46, 70; disputes with Bishop of Salamanca’s servants, 36–8; fight with Ceri’s soldier, 39–40; shooting and hunting, 41–2, 144, 158–60, 207–8, 245; melancholy, 42; lovemaking, 45, 93, 279, 289, 291, 293; attacked by Moorish sailors, 46–7; riding, 46–7; tricks companions with young man, 48–51, 53; in siege of Rome (1527), 59–69; Clement VII absolves, 66, 77–8; Florence ban lifted, 69; kills brother’s murderer, 91; robbed, 93–4, 97; dispute with Clement VII over chalice, 105–12; involvement with Sicilian courtesan (Angelica), 113–15, 117, 121–3; fight with Benedetto, 118–19, 124–5; flees Rome, 120; stabs Pompeo to death, 128–9; resists arrest on return to Rome, 145–6; pardoned by Paul III, 147; hallucinates during illness, 148–50; payments from Paul III, 168; first travels to France (1537), 171–8; returns to Italy from France, 180–2; arrested and interrogated for supposed theft of papal jewels, 184–9; first imprisoned in Castel Sant’Angelo (1537–8), 190–8; escape from Castel Sant’Angelo, 197–204; reimprisoned in Castel Sant’Angelo and sentenced to death (1539), 209–23; contemplates su
icide, 215; gains comfort from Bible, 215–17; writes poetry in prison, 216, 220, 224, 227, 229–30; moved to dungeon, 218–19; spiritual experience and visions in prison, 218–23, 229–30; attempted poisoning by powdered diamonds, 225–8; released from Castel Sant’Angelo, 229; text, 230–5; leaves Rome to serve Francis I (1539–40), 239; kills postmaster in Siena, 241–2; allowance from Francis I, 253, 255; occupies château (le Petit Nesle), 256–8, 267–8, 274–5; defends money against thieves in Paris, 262–3; French naturalization, 267; made lord of castle of le Petit Nesle, 267–8, 274–5; tennis-playing, 274; evicts German workman from le Petit Nesle, 275, 277; sued in French court, 277–8; beats Caterina, 290–1; child (Costanza) by Gianna, 293; Ippolito d’Este withholds payment from, 293–5; resists Grolier’s attempts to repossess tennis courts, 296–7; payment for Jupiter, 300; requests leave from Francis I, 305–8; leaves Paris (1545), 308–10; accused of stealing vases and silver, 309–10; caught in hailstorm, 310–11; visits natural son in Fiesole, 335; death of natural son, 336; Duchess de’ Medici disfavours over opinion on pearls, 357–61; in defence of Florence against Siena, 361–3; plays with Duke Cosimo’s children, 365–6; takes week’s pilgrimage, 372; warns Duke Cosimo of vulnerability of Poppi, 373–4; dispute over payment for Perseus, 374–7; receives arrears of salary from Duke Cosimo, 377; plans tomb, 387; buys farms from Anterigoli, 389–91, 395, 399; attempted poisoning by Anterigoli, 393–4; loses lawsuit against Anterigoli, 395–6; visits Duke Cosimo in Livorno, 396; agrees to continue in Duke Cosimo’s service, 397, 401; revises contract with Anterigoli, 398–9
WORKS: Capitolo, 230–5; ‘Preparatory Sonnet’, xix; Trattati (Treatises), xiii
Cellini, Cecchino (BC’s brother) see Cellini, Giovanfrancesco
Cellini, Cosa (BC’s sister), 5, 70
Cellini, Cristofano (BC’s great-grandfather), 2, 4
Cellini, Elisabetta (née Granacci; BC’s mother), 2, 4
Cellini, Francesco (BC’s uncle), 4
Cellini, Giovanfrancesco (Cecchino; BC’s brother): wounded in fight, 10–11; in Siena with BC, 11; father gives BC’s clothes to, 14–15; father’s ambitions for, 14; life as soldier, 70, 85; survives plague, 72–3; injured in fight with Rome city guard, 87–9; death and tomb, 89–91
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