Bust of Francesco di Tommaso Sassetti

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Francesco Sassetti served as the Medici bank's director general in Florence from 1459 to 1490. Upon its purchase in 1890, the original portrait was attributed to Benedetto da Maiano (1442-1497). However, subsequent research linked it to Antonio Rossellino, yet neither attribution is conclusively supported. In 15th-century Florence, this type of portrait, depicting subjects in classicizing attire inspired by Roman busts, gained immense popularity. Oronzio Lelli, a prominent plaster cast manufacturer in late 19th-century Florence, supplied the plaster cast. During the 19th century, plaster casts were highly sought after for reproducing famous works of sculpture and architecture, deemed essential for artist training. To create these reproductions, a separating substance was applied to the artwork's surface, followed by the creation of a plaster mould. This mould would then be used to produce multiple plaster copies, often sold to artists or art colleges for study purposes. Oronzio Lelli crafted this plaster cast around 1890 in Florence. The original marble, now housed at the Museo Nazionale (Bargello) in Florence, remains an exquisite example of its time.