Pierino da Vinci facts for kids

Pierino da Vinci (born around 1529–1553/54) was an Italian sculptor. His full name was Pier Francesco di Bartolomeo di Ser Piero da Vinci. He was born in the small town of Vinci in Italy.

Pierino was the nephew of the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci. His father, Bartolomeo, was Leonardo's younger half-brother. Pierino showed great artistic talent from a young age. His family believed he would follow in his uncle's footsteps.

He learned from two well-known sculptors: Baccio Bandinelli and Niccolò Tribolo. Sadly, Pierino died young, at the age of 23. He passed away from a fever, likely malaria, in Pisa between 1553 and 1554.

His Art and Legacy

Most of what we know about Pierino da Vinci comes from a book. It is called Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects. This book was written by Giorgio Vasari. Vasari's book tells many stories about artists. Some parts are true, and some are more like legends. This makes it hard to know every detail about Pierino's life for sure.

Pierino was a very talented sculptor. Some of his sculptures were so good that people once thought they were made by Michelangelo. This shows how skilled Pierino was.

Famous Works

One of Pierino's well-known sculptures is Samson Slaying a Philistine. He made this work around 1551 or 1552. Today, you can see it displayed at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy.

Another important work is a relief sculpture. A relief is a type of sculpture where the figures stick out from a flat background. This particular relief shows a scene with Ugolino and his sons. Pierino made it in 1549 for a man named Luca Martini. This artwork is now part of the collection at the Liechtenstein Museum.

A painting called Portrait of a Young Man was made around 1550 by the artist Bronzino. Many people believe this painting is a portrait of Pierino da Vinci himself.