MA. Olga M. HajdukThe Institute of Art. Of the Polish Academy of Sciences

(Warsaw)

The Artist as an Entrepreneur in early modern Poland.

Santi Gucci Fiorentino’s workshop.

Santi Gucci born to the restorer of theFlorentine cathedral - Giovanni di NiccoloAlbenghi Gucci, known as Giovanni della Camilla,and his second wife, Marietta.

The Registry of Baptisms ofSanta Maria del Fiore says that „onthe Friday of the 11th of July 1533,at four o'clock, Santi Romolo wasborn, a son of Giovanni di Niccolod'Arrigho, a sculptor from the S.Piermaggiore parish” .

Archivio dell’ Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore

Battesimi

maschi 1533-1542, pp. 6

„on the Friday of the 11th of July 1533, at four o'clock, Santi Romolo was born, a son of Giovanni

di Niccolo d'Arrigho, a sculptor from the S. Piermaggiore parish”

This document also offers avaluable source of information abouthis family environment, making itevident that Santi was the son of astonemason, Giovanni di Niccolod'Arriho, and by extension, thestepbrother of the sculptor,Francesco Camilliani.

We also know that Gucci's familyresided in the San Giovanni district,in the parish of San Pier Maggiore.The 1552 population census ofFlorence says that „maestro Giovannidi Nic[ol]o scarpellino lived at Viadella Crocetta ovvero del Rosario”

Via della

Crocetta(House of camilliani

family)

Via della

Pergola(House of Cellini)

Stefano Bonsignori

Map of Florence,

1584

Baccio BandinelliPietà by Baccio Bandinelli, Basilica della Santissima

Annunziata, Florence.

Detailed Baccio Bandinelli’s works

Benvenuto CelliniThe base of the sculpture „Perseus with

the Head of Medusa”

“In 1548 Tonino Cipolla worked “day and night” on the Medusa and that agoldsmiths named Gabriello (possibly Gabriello del Zania), two blacksmithsnamed Bartolomeo and Domenico, and two masons named Mariano andBernardo all helped with its casting. Two stoneworker Domenico daSettignano and a blacksmith named Francesco where part of the team thatpumiced the figures of Perseus and Medusa. The goldsmith Bartolomeo diGabriello cleaned and chased the Perseus, and Bernardino Pettirossi daFiesole did the same for the wings attached to Perseus’ feet and helmet.Gugliemo Fiammingo (probably the famous Flemish sculptor and bronsistWillem de Tetrode) carved the masks and capricorns on the marble base,working alongside Piero Francese, Barberino di Mugello, Amadio da Sangallo,and the talented Francesco del Tadda. The goldsmith Niccolo Santini cleanedthe figure of the Mercury that would go into that base; other goldsmith,including Vittorio Santini, Santi di Giovanni, one “Bartolomeo”, and thedistinguished Pier Pagolo Romano, meanwhile, cleaned and chased the otherbronze figurines for the niches”

(M.Cole,CelliniasArtisan,Artist,andAuthor,pp.58n.)

Andrea di Pietro Ferrucci,

Julius Caezar, 1512-14

Santi Gucci,Detail from Kryski’s

family tomb

c. 1563-66

Santi gucci,Detail from Kryski’s family tomb

Ferruci Andrea di Pietro, Tabernacle, 1480-97

About Gucci „nickname”

the Polish „nickname” Gucci was originated in thecourse of the phonetic evolution of the Latinform of Giovanni di Niccolo's grandfather –Arrigo.

According to that rule, the diminutive of the nameArrigo goes through the following forms:

Arrigo Arriguccio Guccio Gucci

From Giorgio Vasari's work on „the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects”

„Has found in the popularity that he could not find neither in Rome nor in Florence, in the country of France,

and the fame he attained would fulfill every ambition that may exist

in the life of an artist”

About Giovanni Battista - Florentine painter,, known as Il Rosso (1494-1541).

Another fact of significance to thetopic of the development of Santi's life andcareer was the fact that Carlo CalvanusGucci was a żupnik ruski – a salt minemanager (Latin: zupparius salis). In 16thcentury these officials fulfilled animportant role – they oversaw operations inroyal salt mines and salt-works.

One of the major responsibilitieswas overseeing transport – and in thecontext of the development of Santi'scareer as an artist-entrepreneur withhis own sculpting workshop, somehowobliged to transport materials andworks – being acquainted with a saltmine manager was priceless.

Mascarons from attic of The Cloth Hall (Polish: Sukiennice) in Cracow

Mascarons from attic of The Cloth Hall (Polish: Sukiennice) in Cracow

Family Kryski tombstone in

Drobin (c. 1563-66)

Pinczów

Tombstone of king Stephen Báthory & signature of

Santi Gucci

Cracow, Wawel Cathedral

1594-95

Mark of santi Gucci

Reconstruction of The Family Kryski Tomb in Drobin

The most important polish nobles cooperated with Santi Gucci

(exsamples)

Jan Zamoyski

Royal Secretary from 1566

Piotr Myszkowski

Bishop of Plock and Cracow

The Florentine, in the span of almostfive decades of his artistic activity inPoland, was also a building contractorwho hired sculptors and handicraftworkers in his workshop in Pińczów.

Their names, both Polish as wellas Italian are confirmed by sources:stonemasons Stefan and AndzielBocci, stone carver BenedyktBuonani, and also Lorycz (Ardente)Italus, Błażej Gocman and TomaszNikiel.

Santi Gucci as royal servitor

The title of royal servitor allowedthe builder to act independently of cityand guild laws and gave him a particularsocial and professional rank which,contrary to certain conjectures, gave theartist much more freedom in choosing theform of their creation.

The title of servitor could beattained by working for the king and theCommonwealth or by the recommendationof influential individuals.

Figure of Hieronim ossoliński,goźlice, c. 1580s

Figures from Gucci’s workshop

Figure of Samuel Zborowski,Solec zdroj, c. 1584

Figure of Andrzej Firlej,janowiec, c. 1585-87

Figure of unknown nobles,cracow, c. 1580

Figure of Wojciech Kryski,drobin, c. 1584

Figures from Gucci’s workshop

Figure of Hieronim ossoliński,goźlice, c. 1580s

Figure of Niedrwicki’s brothers,Koprzywnica, c. 1580s

Figure of king Sigismund II Augustus,Cracow, wawel cathedral, c. 1576

Figure of Spytek Jordan,Cracow, sant catherine, c. 1568-84

Seated figures from gucci’s workshop

Tombstone of Jordan’s family,Cracow, sant catherine

c. 1568-84

Tombstone of Kryski’s family,Drobin, c. 1563-66

Santi Gucci’s work (detailes)

Santi Gucci’s work (detailes)

Thank you for your attention

Olga M. Hajduk