Possible Self-Portrait of Baccio Bandinelli

myminifactory

This is a marble relief depicting the head of a bearded man, crafted by Baccio Bandinelli in Florence around 1550-60. The relief bears an initial that matches several Prophets created for the choir of Florence Cathedral, showcasing similar technique. Hair treatment and profile resemble a self-portrait of Bandinelli at the Louvre in Paris, though facial features differ. Born in 1493, Baccio Bandinelli was an Italian sculptor, painter, and draughtsman who came from Michelangelo Viviano, a prominent Florentine goldsmith who taught Cellini and Raffaello da Montelupo. As the son of this influential figure, Bandinelli worked in good standing with the Medici family. He is one of Florence's leading mannerist sculptors, renowned for his colossal group of Hercules and Cacus outside Palazzo della Signoria, completed in 1534, and his notable feud with Michelangelo.