Portrait of Francesco de’ Medici

Bronzino (Agnolo di Cosimo di Mariano) (Italian, 1503 – 1572) was appointed as official court painter to the grand duchy of Tuscany as a reward for his contributions to ceremonial decorations for Elenor of Toledo's entrance to Florence in 1539. This 1560 portrait of Francesco de’ Medici was created fourteen years before he became the second Grand Duke of Tuscany. Francesco ruled from 1574 until his death in 1587.