Fioretta Gorini
Ritratto di giovane donna (1475) of Sandro Botticelli. It is preserved in Palazzo Pitti of Florence
Born1453
Florence, Republic of Florence
Died1478 (aged 24–25)
Florence, Republic of Florence
IssueProbably Giulio de' Medici (son)

Fioretta Gorini (1453/60 – possibly 1478)[1][2][3] was the mistress of Giuliano de' Medici and the probable mother of Giulio de' Medici, the future Pope Clement VII. Gorini was the daughter of a professor, Antonio Gorini.[4] Her actual name was Antonia or Antonietta, while Fioretta was a nickname given to her.[5]

On 26 May 1478, a month after the assassination of Giuliano in the Pazzi conspiracy, Fioretta gave birth to his illegitimate son, Giulio.[6] Not much of Gorini's life after her son's birth is known, and some records have her dying that same year.[2] Giulio spent the first seven years of life with his godfather, architect Antonio da Sangallo the Elder.[7]

The female figure of Fioretta may be represented in Ritratto di giovane donna (1475), of Sandro Botticelli, which is preserved in Palazzo Pitti, although it may equally represent Simonetta Vespucci, Clarice Orsini, Alfonsina Orsini or Lucrezia Tornabuoni.[8] The woman sculpted on Dama col mazzolino (1475), of Andrea del Verrocchio, which is preserved in Museo Nazionale del Bargello, could be Fioretta Gorini.[9] There has also been speculation that Gorini was the inspiration behind the Mona Lisa.[2]

Fictional depictions

Fioretta is portrayed by Chiara Baschetti in the 2016 television series, Medici: The Magnificent.

References

  1. ^ "Fioretta Gorini". Ancestry.com. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "A New Hypothesis on Leonardo's Mona Lisa. Was She Fioretta Gorini?". Gingko. March 15, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  3. ^ "Fioretta Gorini - Historical Records". MyHeritage. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  4. ^ "Giuliano de' Medici (1453-1478)". Il Mese Mediceo (in Italian). Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  5. ^ Moroni, Gaetano (1842). Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica da S. Pietro sino ai nostri giorni ... (in Italian). Tip. Emiliana. p. 37.
  6. ^ Miranda, Salvador. "The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church". Florida International University. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  7. ^ "The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church". Biographical Dictionary. Florida International University. September 23, 1513. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  8. ^ Montresor, Carlo (2010). "Galleria Palatin di Palazzo Pitti". Monografia d'arte. Botticelli (in Italian). ATS Italia Editrice. p. 42. ISBN 978-8865241103.
  9. ^ Paratico, Angelo (May 14, 2015). "Leonardo Da Vinci's Ginevra de' Benci, or Fioretta Gorini? Or Caterina, his mother?". Beyond Thirty-Nine. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
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