Roma

The family Farinosi Branconi

Rome: Branconio dé L'Aquila Palace

When Giovanni Battista (1473-1525), moved from L’Aquila to Rome was soon known by cardinal Galeotto della Rovere for his intelligence and perception of good and concrete reality of his time.

Soon he was accepted in Vatican where he was esteemed by Giulio II° who gave him important offices.

When the Pope dead he was appointed conclavist in 1513 and he used his political skill for Leone X° ‘s election.

Under his pontificate he became Camerario of the Pope himself, apostolic Protonotario, ambassador in France (Bull 1517), keeper of pontificial preciousness. Everyone was looking for his friendship, also because being an influential man, he was able to obtain princes and kings’ favour.

During Clemente VII° pontificate, Leone X°’s successor, he was appointed Prolegato in Avignone; at the same time he still had the roles he had obtained previously.

He dead when he was 52 old, on the 3 december of 1522.

In the roman mileu Giovanni Battista had a lot of friends among the artists of that time. A special one was Raffaello Sanzio to whom he ordered his own palace in Rome , in Borgo in front of San Pietro and the Vatican Palaces, which Vasari defined “....cosa bellissima...” -beatiful thing- (destroyed to realize San Pietro’s columns)- “ATLANTE DI STORIA DELL’ARTE DAL 400 ALLA FINE DELL’800" -Garzanti Edition, - and the painting “LA VISITAZIONE”

for the family chapel built by the family in the Church of Saint Silvestro in L’Aquila,his native town (now in Prado Museum, Madrid).

The strong friendshipwith the artist lasted for all Giovanni Battista’s life, so that he was appointed by Sanzio his testamentary executor as an epigraph says in the Pantheon in Rome.

Parigi: Louvre - Self-portrait of the Sanzio with the friend Giovanbattista

Among the family members, cousin Fabiano (Cittadini Romani-Extract to Rubricellone Senatorista- Archivio Capitolino in Rome) and Father Francesco moved to Rome. The first one, as Cirillo says “...stayed in Rome as a lawyer..."- and the other one “...being part of the Jesus Group and Rector in many Collages..." -(Serie delle Nobili e Cospicue Famiglie della Città de L’Aquila by Emidio Mariani-TomoIII –First Part –Biblioteca Provinciale in L’Aquila).

Nowadays Laura stays in Rome, in religion Sister Maria Giuseppina of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Giovanna Antida of Touret, literature teacher, especially interested in the education of young people.

info@farinosibranconi.it