Saltcellar of Francis I, (1540-5)

Ganymede on the Eagle, (1546-7)

Perseus With the Head of Medusa, (1545-54)

Cellini, born in Florence in 1500, was a sculptor and goldsmith, working during the period of the Renaissance. He was perhaps the greatest goldsmith of the Renaissance, a little less distinguished as a sculptor. Even so Cellini was for a short time the student of the great master Michelangelo. Cellini worked in several cities in Italy including Rome, Sienna, Pisa, and Bologna. He executed various commissions for medallions bearing mythological themes.

One of his best known sculptures is "Perseus With the Head of Medusa"(1545-54). This piece was commissioned by the famous Medici family of Florence, a valuable patron of the arts. The piece was intended to be a subtle form of propaganda, a message to show the city of Florence the power of the Medici after their return from the forced exile of Dominican monk Savanarola. In this work the bronze figure of Perseus stands atop of the crumpled body of the gorgon Medusa, waving the bloody head high in a sign of triumph. The large marble base that the figure stands upon is intricately carved and bears inlaid bronze reliefs.

While in France, which he spent under the service of Francis I, Cellini created the famous salt-cellar of gold , depicting Poseidon and Amphitrite as well as other sea deities. This is one of the most important pieces of the goldsmith's work to have survived from the Renaissance.

Cellini was known as a man with a quick temper, and was often landing himself in trouble with the law or being thrown out of various cities. He wrote a rather racy autobiography in 1538 which gave a somewhat embellished account of the his adventures and deeds. Nevertheless the book has been widely read since the 18th century when it was translated by the English writer Goethe. It provides a vivid picture of the daily life of a Renaissance craftsman, and gives some insight to the political and social atmosphere of the 16th century.