Francesco de' Medici

Francesco de’ Medici was the oldest son of Florentine duke Cosimo I de’ Medici and Eleanora di Toledo, great patrons of the arts who instilled the same appreciation in their children. Francesco is shown here displaying a cameo of an unidentified female figure, highlighting his interest in collecting. One of his creations as a patron was the so-called Studiolo in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, a space dedicated to the appreciation of refined, intricate works of art and scientific curiosities. Francesco succeeded his father as Grand Duke of Tuscany only grudgingly, preferring a life of scholarship to statecraft.