Gian Carlo de' Medici

Giovan Carlo de’ Medici, also known as Giovanni Carlo or Gian Carlo, was born on June 3 or July 24, 1611, in Florence and died on January 22, 1663, at Villa di Castello near Florence. A member of the Medici family, he was a prince of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and later a cardinal deacon. Alongside his political, military, and ecclesiastical duties, he became renowned as a connoisseur, collector, and patron of art, literature, music, and theater. He was the second son of Grand Duke Cosimo II de’ Medici and his wife, Maria Magdalena of Austria, daughter of Archduke Charles II. His siblings included the future Grand Duke Ferdinando II; Margherita, later Duchess of Parma and Piacenza; Mattias, a soldier and governor of Siena; Francesco, who also pursued a military career; and Anna and Leopoldo. Leopoldo later became a cardinal as well. Giovan Carlo received a careful education at court. He spoke French and German, had a thorough knowledge of music, and was taught, among others, by the mathematician Famiano Michelini. In 1628, he accompanied his older brother Ferdinando on a journey to the Holy Roman Empire. In Prague, the two princes were presented to Emperor Ferdinand II. The following year, negotiations began for a possible marriage to Anna Carafa di Stigliano, daughter of the Duke of Mondragone. The talks continued until 1633, but Anna was ultimately married, under political pressure, to the son of the Spanish minister Olivares, who later became viceroy of Naples. Giovan Carlo initially considered a military career. He had been admitted as a knight of the Order of Malta while still a child, and from 1621 he held the office of grand prior of Pisa. He took command of the fleet of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and, in 1638, was appointed commander of the Spanish Mediterranean fleet. His military career was not without setbacks. After participating unsuccessfully in the siege of Barcelona during the Catalan Revolt, he resigned in 1642. In 1643, he took part in a military campaign for the last time, commanding the Tuscan army during the War of the Duchy of Castro. A decisive change in his life came in 1644. Pope Innocent X elevated him to the rank of cardinal, partly as a sign of good relations with the Medici family and with his brother, Grand Duke Ferdinando II. In March 1645, he became cardinal deacon of Santa Maria Nuova, a title later changed to San Giorgio in Velabro. As a result, he had to abandon his military career. His way of life, however, initially changed little. He returned to Florence in June 1645 and remained there for several years before traveling to Rome in 1655 to participate in the conclave that elected Fabio Chigi, who took the name Alexander VII. During the conclave, he worked closely with his younger brother Leopoldo. Alexander VII entrusted Giovan Carlo with receiving Christina of Sweden, who had converted from Protestantism to Catholicism. When the personal closeness between the cardinal and the queen became known, the pope sent Giovan Carlo back to Florence. He explained that the cardinal was too young and too attractive to serve as the queen’s spiritual companion. Giovan Carlo never returned to Rome. His most lasting importance lay in his work as an art collector and patron. In 1629, he acquired Villa Mezzomonte, where he housed a collection of about 250 paintings, chiefly still lifes and portraits of family members. In 1640, the grand duke gave him an estate on the Via della Scala in Florence. Giovan Carlo decorated both residences with frescoes by important artists, including Angelo Michele Colonna, Agostino Mitelli, and Pietro da Cortona. The proceeds from the sale of Villa Mezzomonte in 1644 also provided funds for further purchases. After inheriting the Medici Villa in Castello in 1648, he installed still lifes and landscapes by contemporary Florentine painters there. Parts of his collection were moved to private rooms in the Palazzo Pitti. In total, it comprised more than 560 paintings, including works by Raphael, Correggio, Parmigianino, Rubens, Piero di Cosimo, Veronese, Nicolas Poussin, and Guido Reni. Giovan Carlo was also interested in science and botany and was considered one of the most important Italian art collectors and patrons of his time. He had loved the theater since his youth. In 1637, he directed the festivities for the wedding of his brother Ferdinando II to Vittoria della Rovere. After the death of Lorenzo de’ Medici, Giovan Carlo became, in 1648, a patron of the theater company Accademia dei Concordi, which later adopted the name Imobili. For the company, he commissioned the architect and sculptor Ferdinando Tacca to build the Teatro della Pergola, which opened in 1657. He also supported other academies and artists, including the societies led by Salvator Rosa. In Florence, Giovan Carlo led a worldly life and had numerous lovers. In 1637, his illegitimate son Alberto was born; his mother was Margherita Salveti. His brother Ferdinando II also entrusted him with the management of the finances of the Grand Duchy. Over time, however, the relationship between the brothers cooled. Giovan Carlo died at the age of 51 from a stroke. He was buried in the Medici Chapel of the Basilica of San Lorenzo. Rather than leaving a legacy, he left debts amounting to 135,000 crowns. A few days after his death, Ferdinando II had all of his property auctioned to settle the liabilities. As a result, his extensive collection was dispersed within a few weeks; along with the paintings, furniture, books, sculptures, and Venetian glass were also sold.