19/02/2025
Grand Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici (1663-1713), the eldest son of Cosimo III de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Marguerite Louise d’Orléans, was an extraordinary collector and one of the most prominent art patrons of his time.
Along with his great-uncle Leopoldo, he was a fundamental figure in the growth of the Medici collections and of the decoration of Palazzo Pitti.
Ferdinando - who died before his father and therefore did not inherit his title - during his lifetime managed to amass more than 1,000 artworks, ranging from antiquities, decorative arts, musical instruments as well as XVI and XVII century paintings and drawings.
Most part of these precious objects now enrich the Uffizi and the Palatine Gallery’s collections in Florence.
Many were the masterpieces, including by names such as Raphael, Titian, Parmigianino and Rubens, as shown here.
A tireless supporter of contemporary painters, among his absolute favourites there was Livio Mehus (circa 1639 - 1691), whose beautiful and imposing ‘The Drunkenness of Noah’ - photo 2, detail - we discovered last year, together with .pinilla.
We do not know whether this canvas was commissioned directly by Ferdinando - who ended up owning a group of 45 paintings and drawings by Livio - but it is likely that originated from within his inner circle of wealthy and sophisticated art connaisseurs.
DM for additional details.
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- ‘Portrait or Grand Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici’ by Giovan Battista Poggini, 1683, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York;
- Livio Mehus, ‘The Drunkenness of Noah’, 1670s, Hippeus Art Dealership & Galerie Pinilla, London & Paris (detail);
- ‘Madonna of the Canopy’ by Raphael, 1506-08, Galleria Palatina, Florence;
- ‘The Virgin with the Long Neck’ by Parmigianino, 1534-35, The Uffizi Gallery, Florence (detail);
- ‘Portrait of Pietro Aretino’ by Titian, 1545, Palazzo Pitti, Florence;
- ‘The Consequences of War’ by Peter Paul Rubens, 1637-38, Galleria Palatina, Florence (detail)
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