Michelozzo Michelozzi

Michelozzo Michelozzi (mēkālôt`tsō mēkālôt`tsē), 1396–1472, Italian sculptor, architect, goldsmith, and founder. He was long associated with Donatello and Ghiberti. His first independent sculpture was the Aragazzi Tomb for the cathedral at Montepulciano; some of the statues and reliefs for that work remain in the cathedral, and two angels are in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. His fame rests chiefly on the architectural and decorative works to which he devoted himself after 1435; he shared leadership with Brunelleschi and Alberti in establishing the Renaissance architectural style. Michelozzo's best work was at Florence. The Medici-Riccardi Palace, which he built as architect and art adviser to Cosimo de' Medici, is one of the finest city houses ever built. He also enlarged and rebuilt the Monastery of San Marco and worked on the restoration of the Palazzo Vecchio. In 1446–51 he was director of works, succeeding Brunelleschi of Santa Maria del Fiore. Michelozzo planned or remodeled several villas for the Medici. The one at Fiesole (1458–61), with its terraced gardens, had an important influence upon the design of later villas.