By Anne Leader
Benvenuto Cellini died on 13 February 1571 at age 70. One of the greatest sculptors of his generation, Cellini worked in gold, bronze, and marble. Among his finest works are the magnificent gold salt cellar made for King Francis I and the bronze statue of Perseus holding the head of Medusa, which he cast in one piece. Cellini is also famous for his autobiography full of tales of professional rivalry and jealousy.
Reference: Alessandro Nova. “Cellini, Benvenuto.” Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press.
Further reading: The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini (1999); Cellini and the Principles of Sculpture
by Michael W. Cole (2002)
Salt Cellar, 1540-44, gold, enamel and ebony, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Bust of Cosimo I, 1546-47, bronze, Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence
Perseus, 1545-54, bronze, Loggia dei Lanzi, Florence