Gianfancesco de' Medici
First cousin of Piero the Gouty, he was one of the greatest bankers of the House
of Medici. This fearsomely intelligent man worked frequently with Flanders.
Giuliano de' Medici
On the contrary, this face nearly has the sensibility of a visionary. The art
historians are not absolutely certain: he is certainly a Medici as the bust's
pedestal bears the emblem, but opinion leans toward Giuliano de' Medici,
Lorenzo's brother. A very Botticellian face.
Lucrezia Donati
One of the most beautiful of the Florentine busts. She is not quite a Medici:
one of the mistresses, perhaps, one of Lorenzo the Magnificent's who had the longest tenure.
She is immortalized here by Verrocchio as Woman with a Bouquet. An absolutely
extraordinary work in particular because, and this is what the Florentines
admired the most, the beauty of her
hands.
They have this jointless quality, or one that transcends joints; Botticelli
would immortalize the same qualities in his painting. It should not be forgotten
that Botticelli and Verrocchio were very friendly.