Statue of Cosimo I
Encyclopedia
The statue of Cosimo I de' Medici stands in the middle of Knights' Square
of Pisa
, just in front of Palazzo della Carovana
.
It was commissioned by Grand Duke Ferdinando I
in 1596 to the Franco-Flemish sculptor Pietro Francavilla
, who executed it in the elegant Late Mannerist
tradition. The statue celebrates Ferdinando's father as the first Grand Master of the Order of the Knights of St. Stephen and is a civic symbol of the hegemony of Florence
.
The Grand Duke Cosimo is represented in the robes of Grand Master, standing on a high pedestal
, in the act of subduing a dolphin
, symbol of his domination over the seas. The fountain, in front of the pedestal, was also erected by Francavilla. It has a basin in the form of a shell decorated with two grotesque monsters.
The statue has been damaged in the course of time.
Knights' Square (Pisa)
The Knights’ Square is one of the most important landmarks in Pisa, Italy, and the second main square of the city. This square was the political centre in medieval Pisa. After the middle of 16th century the square become the headquarters of the Order of the Knights of St...
of Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
, just in front of Palazzo della Carovana
Palazzo della Carovana
Palazzo della Carovana is a palace in Knights' Square, Pisa, Italy, presently housing the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa....
.
It was commissioned by Grand Duke Ferdinando I
Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I.-Biography:...
in 1596 to the Franco-Flemish sculptor Pietro Francavilla
Pietro Francavilla
Pierre Franqueville, generally called Pietro Francavilla , was a Franco-Flemish sculptor trained in Florence, who provided sculpture for Italian and French patrons in the elegant Late Mannerist tradition established by Giambologna....
, who executed it in the elegant Late Mannerist
Mannerism
Mannerism is a period of European art that emerged from the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520. It lasted until about 1580 in Italy, when a more Baroque style began to replace it, but Northern Mannerism continued into the early 17th century throughout much of Europe...
tradition. The statue celebrates Ferdinando's father as the first Grand Master of the Order of the Knights of St. Stephen and is a civic symbol of the hegemony of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
.
The Grand Duke Cosimo is represented in the robes of Grand Master, standing on a high pedestal
Pedestal
Pedestal is a term generally applied to the support of a statue or a vase....
, in the act of subduing a dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
, symbol of his domination over the seas. The fountain, in front of the pedestal, was also erected by Francavilla. It has a basin in the form of a shell decorated with two grotesque monsters.
The statue has been damaged in the course of time.