Olga M. Hajduk - The Artist as an Entrepreneur in early modern Poland. Santi Gucci Fiorentino’s workshop

1. MA. Olga M. Hajduk
The Institute of Art. Of the Polish Academy of Sciences
(Warsaw)
The Artist as an Entrepreneur in
early modern Poland.
Santi Gucci Fiorentino’s workshop.

2. Santi Gucci born to the restorer of the
Florentine cathedral - Giovanni di Niccolo
Albenghi Gucci, known as Giovanni della Camilla,
and his second wife, Marietta.
The Registry of Baptisms of
Santa Maria del Fiore says that „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” .

3. Archivio dell’ Opera di
Santa Maria del Fiore
Battesimi
maschi 1533-1542, pp. 6

4. „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”

5. This document also offers a
valuable source of information about
his family environment, making it
evident that Santi was the son of a
stonemason, Giovanni di Niccolo
d'Arriho, and by extension, the
stepbrother of the sculptor,
Francesco Camilliani.

6. We also know that Gucci's family
resided in the San Giovanni district,
in the parish of San Pier Maggiore.
The 1552 population census of
Florence says that „maestro Giovanni
di Nic[ol]o scarpellino lived at Via
della Crocetta ovvero del Rosario”

7. Via
della
Crocetta
(House of
camilliani
family)
Via
della
Pergola
(House of
Cellini)

8. Stefano
Bonsignori
Map of
Florence,
1584

9. Baccio Bandinelli
Pietà by Baccio Bandinelli, Basilica della Santissima
Annunziata, Florence.

10. Detailed Baccio Bandinelli’s works

11. Benvenuto Cellini
The base of the sculpture „Perseus with
the Head of Medusa”

12. “In 1548 Tonino Cipolla worked “day and night” on the Medusa and that a
goldsmiths named Gabriello (possibly Gabriello del Zania), two blacksmiths
named Bartolomeo and Domenico, and two masons named Mariano and
Bernardo all helped with its casting. Two stoneworker Domenico da
Settignano and a blacksmith named Francesco where part of the team that
pumiced the figures of Perseus and Medusa. The goldsmith Bartolomeo di
Gabriello cleaned and chased the Perseus, and Bernardino Pettirossi da
Fiesole did the same for the wings attached to Perseus’ feet and helmet.
Gugliemo Fiammingo (probably the famous Flemish sculptor and bronsist
Willem 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 cleaned
the figure of the Mercury that would go into that base; other goldsmith,
including Vittorio Santini, Santi di Giovanni, one “Bartolomeo”, and the
distinguished Pier Pagolo Romano, meanwhile, cleaned and chased the other
bronze figurines for the niches”
(M. Cole, Cellini as Artisan, Artist, and Author, pp. 58n.)

13. Andrea di Pietro Ferrucci,
Julius Caezar, 1512-14
Santi Gucci,
Detail from Kryski’s
family tomb
c. 1563-66

14. Santi gucci,
Detail from Kryski’s family tomb
Ferruci Andrea di Pietro,
Tabernacle, 1480-97

17. About Gucci „nickname”
the Polish „nickname” Gucci was originated in the
course of the phonetic evolution of the Latin
form of Giovanni di Niccolo's grandfather –
Arrigo.
According to that rule, the diminutive of the name
Arrigo goes through the following forms:
Arrigo Arriguccio Guccio Gucci

18. 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).

19. Another fact of significance to the
topic of the development of Santi's life and
career was the fact that Carlo Calvanus
Gucci was a żupnik ruski – a salt mine
manager (Latin: zupparius salis). In 16th
century these officials fulfilled an
important role – they oversaw operations in
royal salt mines and salt-works.

20. One of the major responsibilities
was overseeing transport – and in the
context of the development of Santi's
career as an artist-entrepreneur with
his own sculpting workshop, somehow
obliged to transport materials and
works – being acquainted with a salt
mine manager was priceless.

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

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

23. Family Kryski
tombstone in
Drobin
(c. 1563-66)

24. Pinczów

25. Tombstone of king
Stephen Báthory
& signature of
Santi Gucci
Cracow, Wawel
Cathedral
1594-95

26. Mark of santi Gucci

27. Reconstruction of The Family
Kryski Tomb in Drobin

28. The most important polish nobles
cooperated with Santi Gucci
(exsamples)
Jan Zamoyski
Royal Secretary from 1566
Piotr Myszkowski
Bishop of Plock and Cracow

29. The Florentine, in the span of almost
five decades of his artistic activity in
Poland, was also a building contractor
who hired sculptors and handicraft
workers in his workshop in Pińczów.
Their names, both Polish as well
as Italian are confirmed by sources:
stonemasons Stefan and Andziel
Bocci, stone carver Benedykt
Buonani, and also Lorycz (Ardente)
Italus, Błażej Gocman and Tomasz
Nikiel.

30. Santi Gucci as royal servitor
The title of royal servitor allowed
the builder to act independently of city
and guild laws and gave him a particular
social and professional rank which,
contrary to certain conjectures, gave the
artist much more freedom in choosing the
form of their creation.
The title of servitor could be
attained by working for the king and the
Commonwealth or by the recommendation
of influential individuals.

31. Figure of Hieronim ossoliński,
goźlice, c. 1580s

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. Santi Gucci’s
work (detailes)

36. Santi Gucci’s work (detailes)

38. Thank you for your attention
Olga M. Hajduk