Origins & Early Life

Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (Italian: [mikeˈlɔttso di bartoloˈmɛːo mikeˈlɔttsi]; c. 1396 – 7 October 1472), known mononymously as Michelozzo, was an Italian architect and sculptor. Considered one of the great pioneers of architecture during the Renaissance, Michelozzo was a favored Medici architect who was extensively employed by Cosimo de' Medici. He was a pupil of Lorenzo Ghiberti in his early years, and later collaborated with Donatello.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Known primarily for designing Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence, he is often overshadowed by his contemporaries Donatello in sculpture and Brunelleschi in architecture. Michelozzo was born in Florence in 1396. He was the son of Bartolomeo di Gherardo Borgognone and Antonia. Borgognone was of French origin and arrived in Florence from Burgundy at an unknown date. Borgognone lived and worked in the Santa Croce quarter of Florence as a tailor, and was made a Florentine citizen on 9 April 1376.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Michelozzo had three brothers named Leonardo (b. 1389/90), Zanobi (b. 1391), and Giovanni (b. 1403). By 1391, Michelozzo's family had moved to the San Giovanni quarter, where they continued to live throughout his life. Little...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Marsilius of Inghen — Contemporary (Died in 1396) (1396): Dutch philosopher of the later Middle Ages, known for his work at the University of Paris and Heidelberg.
• Fra Bartolomeo — Contemporary (Born in 1472) (1472): Master Italian Renaissance painter known for religious subjects and idealized style.
• Leon Battista Alberti — Contemporary (Died in 1472) (1472): Renaissance polymath: architect, humanist, author, and artist of the Italian Renaissance.
• Lucas Cranach the Elder — Contemporary (Born in 1472) (1472): Master German Renaissance painter, printmaker, and key portraitist of the Reformation.
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd Allah al-Ghafiqi — Shared historical date (10-07 · Died) (732): Umayyad commander who led Andalusian forces against the Franks, dying at Tours.
• Al Martino — Shared historical date (10-07 · Born) (1927): Iconic Italian-American crooner, celebrated for standards and his role in The Godfather.
• Nezahualcoyotl (tlatoani) — Historical peer (Died in 1472) (1472): Poet-King of Texcoco, a philosopher, warrior, and architect of pre-Columbian Mexico.
• Wang Yangming — Historical peer (Born in 1472) (1472): Influential Neo-Confucian philosopher of the Ming Dynasty, founder of the School of the Mind.
• Jean III de Grailly — Historical peer (Died in 1376) (1376): Gascon nobleman and celebrated military leader of the Hundred Years' War.
• Richard Fitzalan, 3rd Earl of Arundel — Historical peer (Died in 1376) (1376): Prominent 14th-century English nobleman, military leader, and admiral.
• 1396 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1396
• 1472 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1472
• October 7 (10-07) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on October 7