Panel relief in painted and partly gilded cartapesta, 'Cosimo II de' Medici Before an Altar', probably painted by Francesco Bianchi Bonavita, Florence, Italy.

The Grand-Duke in left profile, in a long mantle partly gilt, kneels on a cushion before an altar; his right arm outstretched and his left hand on his breast; behind, the Cathedral of Florence is seen through a window.

This painted and partly gilt panel reflects the design of a pietre dure relief that was commissioned by Cosimo II de' Medici (born 1590, Grand-Duke of Tuscany 1609-1621) as the centrepiece of a gold frontal (paliotto) for the altar of San Carlo Borromeo in the Cathedral of Milan, in fulfillment of a vow he made to ensure his recovery from illness. Work on the frontal began in 1617 and was completed in 1624. However, Cosimo died in 1621 and although the altar frontal was completed, it was felt no longer necessary to send it to Milan. Instead it was retained in the Treasury of the Guardaroba Medicea, where it remained until 1789, when it was dismantled. The gold parts were probably melted down, and by 1791 the central pietre dure relief was reset in its present gilt metal frame and placed in the Galleria now in the Museo degli Argento, Florence.

The Guardaroba inventory dated 1783 provides valuable information about the authorship of the altar frontal, based on a 'Giornale' (diary) of 1624, and therefore likely to be accurate (summarised and reproduced by Piacenti). It states that the paliotto was made by the goldsmith Cosimo Merlini after a design by the architect Giulio Parigi. The relief was made by Michele Castrucci and Gualtieri Cecchi, who were stonecutters in the Galleria and in the workshop of Jonas Falchi, a Swiss goldsmith who settled in Florence and identified by Piacenti as responsible for the jewelled elements and enamelling in the richly decorated pietre dure relief.

According to Zobi, the original relief was designed by Giovanni Bilivert and made under the supervision of Orazio Mochi (1571-1625; see Pope-Hennessy, p.570), who was responsible for a model of a bassorilievo (low relief). Although this attribution is presumably based on documentary evidence, Piacenti (p.116) noted that there are no references to these artists in the sources for the altar. Nevertheless, he agreed that it is entirely possible that they collaborated on this important Grand-Ducal commission. Mochi may well have provided a model for the stonecutters, as his workshop is known to have done so for other commissions.

The relief was described as 'wood, carved in low relief, coloured and gilt' in the inventory of the Museum's acquisitions (Objects Acquired in the year 1861, London: 1868, p.30), but amended in a subsequent label text to 'carta pesta from the original relief in pietra dura'. However, the material and technique was at some point changed again, and until recently (February 2011) the relief was believed to have been made in pigmented stucco, and identified as probably the model by Orazio Mocchi referred to by Zobi. In fact, as Giusti (1978, p. 318) points out, the original model would most likely have been in coloured wax to provide both guidance for the relief and the colours. This relief has now been identified by V&A conservator Victor Borges as a hollow-cast cartapesta, although further investigation and research is required to confirm the precise technique.

Another cartapesta relief survives in the Museo dell'Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence. The status of these two sculptures (then believed to be made in stucco and cartapesta respectively) has been debated, but Piacenti identified an entry dated 31 May 1624 in the 'Quarderno' that refers to 'Francesco Bianchi pittore' having been paid for painting four 'modelli' (models) in cartapesta of the votive offering of Cosimo II that had been created from the natural stone ('dipinto li quattro modelli di carta pesta del voto della felice memoria del Sermo Cosimo Secondo cavati al natural da quel di pietre'). Piacenti concluded that the models were painted in imitation of the stone to be preserved and venerated by Cosimo's son.

There seems little doubt that these are two of the four documented cartapesta reliefs painted by Francesco Bianchi Bonavita (1593-1658), but as recognised by Giusti (1978, p. 318) they must have been copies after the pietre dure relief and not models for it. PM

This relief is one of four cartapesta versions painted in imitation of the original pietre dure relief of Cosimo II before an altar, painted in 1624 by Francesco Bianchi Bonavita (1593-1658). Piacenti (p.120) suggested that these 'modelli' or models were 'preserved and venerated' by Cosimo's son, Francesco II de' Medici, but they must have been copies, not the original models.

This painted and partly gilded cartapesta relief appears to be one of four documented versions of an exquisite relief carved in pietre dure (hardstones) and decorated with jewels and enamel that is now in the Museo degli Argenti in Florence. It shows Cosimo II de' Medici (Grand-Duke of Tuscany 1609-21) kneeling before an altar. The pietre dure relief was commissioned by Cosimo in fulfillment of a vow intended to secure his recovery from an illness, as the centrepiece of a gold frontal for the altar of San Carlo Borromeo in the Cathedral of Milan. Work on the altar frontal began in 1617 and was completed in 1624. However, Cosimo died in 1621 and the frontal, though completed, was never sent to Milan. Instead it remained in the Guardaroba Medicea until 1789, when it was dismantled. The gold parts were probably melted down, and the pietre dure relief was set within its current gilded metal frame.

This cartapesta (papier maché) relief and another in the Museo dell'Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence are two of the four versions that were documented as having been painted by Francesco Bianchi Bonavita (1593-1658) in imitation of the original pietre dure. Although the reliefs were referred to in the document as 'models', they must in fact be copies made in imitation of the relief.

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