"Morgante, Blowing a Cornetto". (The cornetto is missing). (Morgante (c. 1535 - after 1594) was a Court Dwarf of Cosimo I de' Medici) 1570 - 1608

Giambologna created this bronze sculpture of Morgante, a court dwarf in Cosimo de Medici’s Florence, sometime in the late 16th century. The lost-wax casting process used to create this sculpture was highly skilled and labor-intensive. First, a detailed wax model was made, capturing Morgante’s likeness. This was then encased in clay and fired, melting away the wax and leaving a mold. Molten bronze was poured into this mold, and once cooled, the clay was broken away to reveal the bronze figure. The chasing, polishing, and gilding added further value. Consider the implications of immortalizing a marginalized figure in such a precious material. Bronze was traditionally reserved for depictions of nobility and important figures, as was the commissioning of such a highly skilled artist and workshop. What does it tell us about the court of Cosimo de Medici, that Morgante was considered worthy of such an expensive, labor-intensive and culturally significant process?