Alfonso Lombardi (c. 1497–1537), also known as Lombardi da Lucca, Alfonso da Ferrara and as Alfonso Lombardo, was an Italian sculptor and

medalist A medalist (or medallist) is an artist who designs medals, plaquettes, badges, metal medallions, coins and similar small works in relief in metal. Historically, medalists were typically also involved in producing their designs, and were usually e ...

who was born in

Ferrara, Italy Ferrara (, ; egl, Fràra ) is a city and ''comune'' in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital of the Province of Ferrara. it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream ...

in 1497, and died in

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

in 1537. He was very active in Bologna where he created a number of works that are still present in the most important churches of that city. Giorgio

Vasari Giorgio Vasari (, also , ; 30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian Renaissance Master, who worked as a painter, architect, engineer, writer, and historian, who is best known for his work ''The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculpt ...

dedicated a chapter to Lombardi in his ''

Vite ''The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects'' ( it, Le vite de' più eccellenti pittori, scultori, e architettori), often simply known as ''The Lives'' ( it, Le Vite), is a series of artist biographies written by 16th-ce ...

''.Vasari's ''Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects''

Works

In his birthplace of Ferrara, Lombardi entered into his artistic apprenticeship, working with plaster and terracotta—materials that he continued to prefer later in his life. He worked at the court of

Alfonso I d'Este Alfonso d'Este (21 July 1476 – 31 October 1534) was Duke of Ferrara during the time of the War of the League of Cambrai. Biography He was the son of Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara and Eleanor of Naples and became duke on Ercole's death in ...

, Duke of Ferrara, where he executed portrait medals carved in stucco or wax and then cast in metal. Lombardi relocated to Bologna around the age of twenty. Lombardi’s statue of ''Hercules battling the Hydra'', in terracotta, found in the

Palazzo d'Accursio 260px, Palazzo d'Accursio. Palazzo d'Accursio (or Palazzo Comunale) is a palace once formulated to house major administrative offices of the city of Bologna, region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is located on the Piazza Maggiore, and is the city's T ...

in Bologna, was completed in July 1519. In December of that same year, he was commissioned to create the large ensemble of ''Death of the Virgin'' for the

Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Vita The Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Vita is a late- Baroque-style, Roman Catholic church in central Bologna, near the Piazza Maggiore. History The construction of the present Baroque church began in 1687-1690 under the designs of Giovanni Battis ...

. The work, consisting of fourteen larger-than-life size terracotta figures in highly emotive poses, was likely completed in 1522. Between 1522 and 1526 he executed other works in

terracotta Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based ceramic glaze, unglazed or glazed ceramic where the pottery firing, fired body is porous. In applied art, craft, construction, a ...

in Bologna: ''Lamentation of Christ'' (

Bologna Cathedral Bologna Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale Metropolitana di San Pietro, ''Cattedrale di Bologna''), dedicated to Saint Peter, is the cathedral of Bologna in Italy, and the seat and the Metropolitan bishop, metropolitan cathedral of the Archbishop of Bolog ...

), ''St Bartholomew'' ( Santa Maria della Pioggia), and four terracotta statues of the Patron Saints (Torre dell'Arengo of the

Palazzo del Podesta Palazzo del Podestà is Italian for "Palace of the Chief Magistrate" of a town. Palazzo del Podesta may refer to: * Palazzo del Podestà, Bologna, a civic building in Bologna * , a building in Florence; see List of palaces in Italy * , a civic b ...

). Lombardi also carved sculptures in marble for the facade of

San Petronio Basilica The Basilica of San Petronio is a minor basilica and church of the Archdiocese of Bologna located in Bologna, Emilia Romagna, northern Italy. It dominates Piazza Maggiore. The basilica is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, Saint Petronius ...

in Bologna, including the ''Lunette of the Resurrection'' (1527) and the side doors depicting the ''Annunciation'' and ''Adam and Eve'' (1526–32). Lombardi’s success in Bologna brought commissions in

Faenza Faenza (, , ; rgn, Fènza or ; la, Faventia) is an Italian city and comune of 59,063 inhabitants in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated southeast of Bologna. Faenza is home to a historical manufacture of majolica-ware glazed eart ...

and

Castel Bolognese Castel Bolognese ( rgn, Castël Bulgnés) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ravenna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southeast of Bologna and about southwest of Ravenna. As of 2006, it has a population of about ...

. According to Vasari, Lombardi was commissioned and prepared models for Pope Clement VII’s sepulchral monument, but this project was never completed due to the death of Cardinal

Ippolito de' Medici Ippolito de' Medici (March 1511 – 10 August 1535) was the only son of Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici, born out-of-wedlock to his mistress Pacifica Brandano. Biography Ippolito was born in Urbino. His father died when he was only five (1516), an ...

, who had promised the work to Lombardi.

References

* Bessone-Aurelj, A.M., ''Dizionario degli scultori ed architetti italiani'', Genova, Società anonima editrice, D. Alighieri, 1947. * Vasari, Giorgio, ''Le Vite delle più eccellenti pittori, scultori, ed architettori'', many editions and translations.

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lombardi, Alfonso Italian sculptors Italian male sculptors 16th-century Italian sculptors Italian medallists 1537 deaths 1497 births Artists from Bologna Artists from Ferrara 16th-century medallists