Giovanni Gaddi

Who was Giovanni Gaddi?

Monsignor Giovanni Gaddi or Giovanni di Taddeo di Agnolo Gaddi was an Italian cleric, descending from the noted Gaddi family of painters. His parents were Taddeo di Agnolo Gaddi and Antonia di Bindo Altoviti. The Gaddi family were bankers in Florence and Rome. Giovanni was close to Giuliano de' Medici, Duke of Nemours. They were both members of the Compagnia della Cazzuola; a society that put on theatrical plays. He became a dean of the Camera apostolica and took on several posts in the papal court. Gaddi inherited a collection of illuminated manuscripts and codices from his grandfather. He was associated with many writers, particularly his secretary Annibal Caro, and appeared in Benvenuto Cellini's autobiography. Giovanni Gaddi was one of Sebastiano del Piombo’s close friends after the Sack of Rome.

An unattributed painting of Giovanni Gaddi as a boy was sold by Sotheby's in a December 2012 auction in London for £1.27 million.