Carlo Marsuppini

Who was Carlo Marsuppini?

Carlo Marsuppini, also known as Carlo Aretino and Carolus Arretinus, was an Italian Renaissance humanist and chancellor of the Florentine Republic.

Marsuppini was born in Genoa into a family from Arezzo, but grew up and died in Florence. His father, Gregorio Marsuppini, had been governor of Genoa under Charles VI of France. He had close contact with the Medici family. In 1444, he followed Leonardo Bruni as chancellor of the Republic of Florence, with whom he shares the honour of a monument in Santa Croce. Poggio Bracciolini became chancellor after Carlo's death.

Upon the death of his father Gregorio Carlo commissioned Filippo Lippi the Coronation of the Virgin, with St. John and St. Benedict for the Olivetan Convent at Arezzo.

He was a man of great culture, the author of letters and some poems. Among his works: a Consolatio of noteworthy Christian inspiration upon the death of Contessina de' Bardi, addressed to her husband Cosimo dei Medici and her son Lorenzo. Pope Nicholas V instructed him in 1452 to translate Homer's Iliad into Latin; however he died with much of the work incomplete.