TORRIGIANO, Pietro

It is probable, that Torrigiano arrived in London by 1507 and that he worked for Henry VII before the King’s death in April 1509, modelling the bust of Mary Tudor (untraced) for her proposed marriage of 1507-08 to Margaret of Austria’s nephew Charles I (later Emperor Charles V). This theory would support an early date of c. 1509-11 for the polychrome terracotta busts of King Henry VII (Victoria and Albert Museum, London), the young Henry VIII and John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York), all three convincingly attributed to Torrigiano. It would also enable the polychrome plaster and wood Death-mask and Funeral Effigy of Henry VII (1509; Westminster Abbey Museum, London) to be attributed to him, suggesting that Henry VII was Torrigiani’s first patron in England.

John Fisher (1469-1535) was an English Catholic bishop, cardinal, and theologian. Fisher was also an academic, and eventually served as Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. He was executed by order of Henry VIII during the English Reformation for refusing to accept him as the supreme head of the Church of England and for upholding the Catholic Church’s doctrine of papal supremacy.

Executed in London, this painted terracotta bust is an important harbinger of the Italian Renaissance style in England. Its realism was new there at the beginning of the sixteenth century, and a favourable reception would have ensured its maker a successful career. His most important commission was the bronze and marble tomb of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York in Westminster Abbey.

The sitter of the bust is not identified, perhaps he was a Florentine merchant, since Florentine merchants were instrumental in bringing Torrigiano to England.

The polychrome terracotta bust of Christ by Torrigiano is in the sacristy of Santa Trinita in Florence.

About c. 1498 Torrigiani probably made the earliest surviving works attributed to him, the marble busts of Christ (Museo d’Arte Sacra, San Gimignano) and St Fina, and a terracotta bust of St Gregory, the last two presented by Coppi to the Ospedale di Santa Fina in San Gimignano (both in situ).

Works attributed to Torrigiano and his workshop in England include the marble and polychrome terracotta wall tomb of Dr John Yonge, or Young (d. 1516) for the Rolls Chapel, Chancery Lane, the first entirely Renaissance-style monument in England; the terracotta bust of Sir Gilbert Talbot (d. 1517; Victoria and Albert Museum, London); the elaborate marble and polychrome terracotta wall tomb of Dean John Colet (d. 1519) in Old St Paul’s (destroyed 1666); and the marble head and painted limestone roundel of Christ the Redeemer (c. 1522; before 1532 set in the western exterior wall of Abbot Islip’s chapel, Westminster Abbey; since the 19th century Wallace Collection, London).

Gilbert Talbot, the third son of John, second Earl of Shrewsbury, was elected to the Order of the Garter in about 1495. In 1504 he was sent to Rome by King Henry VII to invest Duke Guidobaldo da Montefeltro of Urbino into the Order. He is known here wearing an unidentified (damaged) chain of office. The bust is closely related to the work of the Italian sculptor Pietro Torrigiano. It is likely that it was made in Torrigiano’s workshop or by a close follower. Like the bust of Henry VII, this too may be based on a cast either made from life or from a death mask.

This is a plaster cast of the tomb effigy of Henry VII (1457-1509), after the original in gilt bronze in Henry VII’s Chapel, Westminster Abbey, completed in 1517. The bronze effigy of Henry VII lies next to that of his Queen, Elizabeth of York, at the centre of the chapel which bears his name, at the extreme east end of the Abbey. Torrigiani was a Florentine sculptor, who had worked alongside Michelangelo in Rome. He worked in the Netherlands, and then spent some years in Britain, working for the Tudor court, notably in terracotta. He was subsequently active in Spain, where he was to die in 1528. The plaster cast was almost certainly made in London in the 1850s.

This is a plaster cast of the tomb effigy of Henry VII (1457-1509), after the original in gilt bronze in Henry VII’s Chapel, Westminster Abbey, completed in 1517. The bronze effigy of Henry VII lies next to that of his Queen, Elizabeth of York, at the centre of the chapel which bears his name, at the extreme east end of the Abbey. Torrigiano was a Florentine sculptor, who had worked alongside Michelangelo in Rome. He worked in the Netherlands, and then spent some years in Britain, working for the Tudor court, notably in terracotta. He was subsequently active in Spain, where he was to die in 1528. The plaster cast was almost certainly made in London in the 1850s.

Works attributed to Torrigiano and his workshop in England include the marble and polychrome terracotta wall tomb of Dr John Yonge, or Young (d. 1516) for the Rolls Chapel, Chancery Lane, the first entirely Renaissance-style monument in England; the terracotta bust of Sir Gilbert Talbot (d. 1517; Victoria and Albert Museum, London); the elaborate marble and polychrome terracotta wall tomb of Dean John Colet (d. 1519) in Old St Paul’s (destroyed 1666); and the marble head and painted limestone roundel of Christ the Redeemer (c. 1522; before 1532 set in the western exterior wall of Abbot Islip’s chapel, Westminster Abbey; since the 19th century Wallace Collection, London).

In 1512 Henry VIII commissioned Torrigiano to design and execute the tomb of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, the central monument of the newly built chapel of Henry VII in Westminster Abbey. Earlier, in 1506, Guido Mazzoni (c. 1450-1518) had submitted an estimate, and probably a design for the tomb, which was to be based on that of Charles VIII of France at Saint-Denis. The kneeling figures are omitted in Torrigiano’s design, however, and the corners are adorned by seated angels holding the epitaph and the royal arms. The effigies rest on a sarcophagus decorated with antique motifs (garlands, grotesques, birds and acanthus-leaf decoration), naked putti in the style of Verrocchio, bearing the royal arms and six roundels containing reliefs of the King’s patron saints, arranged in pairs.

The head of the Queen is idealized, but that of the King is based on a death mask. The form of the monument reflects the tomb of Pope Sixtus IV in St Peter’s, Rome, but certain features conform to English rather than Italian traditions - for example the tall tomb chest, the overall gilding and the composition of the bronze, although the casting and gilding methods employed were more advanced. The device of paired saints in relief (rather than statuettes in tabernacles) may derive from Donatello’s bronze doors in the Old Sacristy at San Lorenzo, Florence, but the elegant figure style shows the influence of Lorenzo Ghiberti and Verrocchio. The monument has been called ‘the finest Renaissance tomb north of the Alps’ (Pope-Hennessy).

The head of the Queen is idealized, but that of the King is based on a death mask.

The effigies of Henry VII and his wife Elisabeth of York were made with the use of death masks. They have a Gothic elegance, but the figures of angels at the corners and the exquisite decorative work introduced a pure Renaissance style into England.

The effigies of Henry VII and his wife Elisabeth of York were made with the use of death masks. They have a Gothic elegance, but the figures of angels at the corners and the exquisite decorative work introduced a pure Renaissance style into England.

Torrigiano moved to Spain either c. 1522, when Charles V visited his aunt, Catherine of Aragon, and Henry VIII in London, or c. 1525, when he made a terracotta bust (untraced) of Empress Isabella of Portugal, according to Francisco d’Hollanda, presumably for her marriage in 1526 to Charles V in Seville. On his way to Seville, Torrigiano may have worked in Portugal for Isabella of Portugal (1503-39) and in Granada Cathedral on the royal tombs. He must have worked at the royal monastery of Guadalupe, Extremadura, where a document indicates that in 1526 a polychrome terracotta statue of St Jerome (now in the sacristy and attributed to Torrigiano) was placed on the high altar.

In Seville Torrigiano modelled imposing life-size statues of the Penitent St Jerome, which is related to the version at Guadalupe, and two Virgin and Child groups, one for the Hieronymite convent of Buena Vista outside Seville (both now Museo de Bellas Artes, Seville). These influenced later Spanish sculptors and painters, e.g. Montañes, Zurbaran and Goya.

Torrigiano moved to Spain either c. 1522, when Charles V visited his aunt, Catherine of Aragon, and Henry VIII in London, or c. 1525, when he made a terracotta bust (untraced) of Empress Isabella of Portugal, according to Francisco d’Hollanda, presumably for her marriage in 1526 to Charles V in Seville. On his way to Seville, Torrigiano may have worked in Portugal for Isabella of Portugal (1503-39) and in Granada Cathedral on the royal tombs. He must have worked at the royal monastery of Guadalupe, Extremadura, where a document indicates that in 1526 a polychrome terracotta statue of St Jerome (now in the sacristy and attributed to Torrigiano) was placed on the high altar.

In Seville Torrigiano modelled imposing life-size statues of the Penitent St Jerome, which is related to the version at Guadalupe, and two Virgin and Child groups, one for the Hieronymite convent of Buena Vista outside Seville (both now Museo de Bellas Artes, Seville). These influenced later Spanish sculptors and painters, e.g. Montañes, Zurbaran and Goya.

Torrigiano’s earliest surviving documented work identified as ‘Pietro Turrisani’ is the marble life-size statue of St Francis carved by 5 June 1501 for Cardinal Francesco Todeschini–Piccolomini for the Piccolomini Altar in Siena Cathedral (in situ; was completed by Michelangelo).

Piccolomini was Cardinal Protector of England from 1492 to 1503, when he was elected Pope as Pius III (d. 1503). He maintained close contacts with the Tudor court, and he and his family were probably instrumental in securing Torrigiano’s English appointment.

This painted terracotta bust has been convincingly connected with the effigy of the king on Torrigiano’s Westminster Abbey monument.

The sitter of the bust is not identified, perhaps he was a Florentine merchant. Florentine merchants were instrumental in bringing Torrigiano to England.

The sitter of the bust is not identified, perhaps he was a Florentine merchant. Florentine merchants were instrumental in bringing Torrigiano to England.

Works attributed to Torrigiano and his workshop in England include the marble and polychrome terracotta wall tomb of Dr John Yonge, or Young (d. 1516) for the Rolls Chapel, Chancery Lane, the first entirely Renaissance-style monument in England; the terracotta bust of Sir Gilbert Talbot (d. 1517; Victoria and Albert Museum, London); the elaborate marble and polychrome terracotta wall tomb of Dean John Colet (d. 1519) in Old St Paul’s (destroyed 1666); and the marble head and painted limestone roundel of Christ the Redeemer (c. 1522; before 1532 set in the western exterior wall of Abbot Islip’s chapel, Westminster Abbey; since the 19th century Wallace Collection, London).

The first reference to Torrigiano’s activity in England is the commission to make the tomb of Henry VII’s mother Lady Margaret Beaufort (d. 1509) in Westminster Abbey, awarded on 23 November 1511 and guaranteed by Leonardo Fristobaldo and Giovanni Cavalcanti, ‘merchauntes of florence’.

The first reference to Torrigiano’s activity in England is the commission to make the tomb of Henry VII’s mother Lady Margaret Beaufort (d. 1509) in Westminster Abbey, awarded on 23 November 1511 and guaranteed by Leonardo Fristobaldo and Giovanni Cavalcanti, ‘merchauntes of florence’.

Vasari stated that in order to earn better wages during these years, Torrigiano enlisted in Cesare Borgia’s army in the war of Romagna (1499–1500); he then joined the Florentines in the battle against Pisa (autumn 1499) and later fought at Garigliano (28 Dec 1503) with Piero de’ Medici and the French forces. Heralded as a valiant soldier, he returned to Florence, presumably in early 1504. Several works have been attributed to him during this period, for example a polychrome Virgin and Child in Santissima Annunziata degli Zoccolanti, Fossombrone (on loan to Palazzo Ducale, Urbino), which is associated with a commission for an altarpiece that Torrigiano received on 13 January 1500.

In Seville Torrigiano modelled imposing life-size statues of the Penitent St Jerome, which is related to the version at Guadalupe, and two Virgin and Child groups, one for the Hieronymite convent of Buena Vista outside Seville (both now Museo de Bellas Artes, Seville). These influenced later Spanish sculptors and painters, e.g. Montañes, Zurbaran and Goya.