Lorenzo de Medici - Florence, Italy
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neoc1
N 43° 46.516 E 011° 15.200
32T E 681341 N 4849380
The tomb of Lorenzo de Medici known as Lorenzo the Magnificent is located in the Medici Chapel at Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini, 6, Florence, Italy
Waymark Code: WM12DT4
Location: Toscana, Italy
Date Posted: 05/07/2020
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The sepulcher holding the remains of Lorenzo "The Magnificent" de Medici is located in the New Sacristy of the Medici Chapel. It is an altar-like structure with the sculptures of Saint Cosmas by Giovan Angelo de Montorsoli on the left, the Madonna and Child by Michelangelo in the center, and Saint Damian by Raffaello da Montelupo on the right. The sculptures were added by Giorgio Vasari in 1554.
The sepulcher also contains the remains of Lorenzo's brother Guiliano de Medici who was killed in the Pazzi conspiracy attack on Medici family on Easter Morning, April 26, 1478. Lorenzo was wounded but survived the attack.
The front of the sepulcher is inscribed:
LORENZO IL MAGNIFICO & GUILIANO DEI
A sign in front of the tomb is inscribed:
The sepulchre with the mortal remains of Lorenzo the
Magnificent (died in 1492) and of his brother Giuliano (killed
during the Pazzi conspiracy in 1478) is surmounted by three
sculptures, The one in the middle is the Madonna and Child, an
autograph work by Michelangelo of 1521. On the left is Saint
Cosmas by Giovan Angelo da Montorsoli, while oh the right is
Saint Damian by Raffaello da Montelupo. Vasari had the
sculptures placed here in 1554.
Lorenzo de Medici was an Florentine statesman and the de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic from the age of twenty, when his father, Piero di Cosimo de Medici, died until his death on April 8, 1492 at age 49.
He is famous for being the foremost patron of the Renaissance culture in Italy. Among the artist receiving patronage from Lorenzo were Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, and Domenico Ghirlandaio. Lorenzo himself was an artist and wrote poetry. According to his biography in Wikipedia: Link
"In his poetry, he celebrates life while acknowledging with melancholy the fragility and instability of the human condition, particularly in his later works. Love, feasts and light dominate his verse."
Examples of his sonnets and poems: "Sonetto I", "Sonetto II", "Sonetto III", "Trionfo", and "Canzone a ballo" can be viewed in English translation and original Italian at the website Link
The published writings of Lorenzo de' Medici include:
Canti carnascialeschi (Carnival Songs)
Canzoniere - (collection of poems)
The Autobiography of Lorenzo de' Medici the Magnificent: A Commentary on My Sonnets
Giacoppo
Poesie
Novelle
La Nencia Da Barberino
Lorenzo de' Medici also expanded the Medici Library begun by his grandfather Cosimo. He employed a great number of workers to copy books and spread them across Europe.