ITALIE XVIIe siècle

ITALIE XVIIe siècle

BAS-RELIEF ON THE WEAPONS OF THE BICHI FAMILY Marble
H. 96 cm, W. 65 cm, D. 19 cm
This marble bas-relief, of remarkable sculptural quality, features the coat of arms of the famous
Bichi family, important patricians of the city of Siena since the 13th century.
In the centre appears a two-headed eagle with a tongue of fire. Its neck is surrounded by a wide open crown surmounting a shield flanked by another two-headed eagle, a lion's profile and a tower. The fine plumage of the outstretched wings is matched by the legs, which hold symbols of power such as a sword, a staff of command and an orb.
The imperial eagle visible in this bas-relief was granted in 1433 by Emperor Sigismund to Galgano and Giovanni Bichi.
The origins of the Sienese branch of the Bichi family can be accurately dated back to 1239, with Bonico (known as Bico) di Mainardo. Bonico was in 1252 "proveditore di Biccherna" and prior (of Biccherna) in 1256. After him, for several centuries, the
Bichi held public offices of great importance. The main activities of the family were concentrated around commerce and banking, which gave them wealth and power.
In the 15th century, the dynasty was divided into two branches.
The elder branch received the title of Marquis of
Roccalbegna from the Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinand II in 1646. The younger branch of the dynasty was titled Counts of Scorgiano. At the end of the 17th century,
Girolama Bichi (1643-1704) married Francesco
Ruspoli Marescotti, and the Bichi family added the name Ruspoli to their surname. The last direct heir of the family was Alessandro Bichi Ruspoli (1807-1882), who married Elena Chigi. As he had no children, he bequeathed his goods and titles to Tommaso Fortegueri
Pannilini in a will dated 15 November 1878, confirmed by a royal decree dated 23 June 1887, who added Bichi Ruspoli to his surname. By Royal Decree of 2 February 1902, the title of Marquis was recognised to Niccolo di Tommaso Bichi Ruspoli Forteguerri Pannilini, derived from the title granted in 1646 to Galgano Bichi. Among the notable figures of this older branch was Alessandro di Galgano (1468-1525), who held important public offices and was one of the most influential figures in Sienese political life. In the following centuries many Bichi were elevated to the rank of cardinals (Carlo in 1690, Metello in 1611,
Alessandro in 1633 - who was Apostolic Nuncio to France in 1630 and Bishop of Carpentras, and who built the Episcopal Palace of Carpentras in 1640 - in 1633, Antonio in 1657, and Vincenzo in 1731). They served as ambassadors of the papal court.
The younger branch of the Bichi family, the Counts of Scorgiano, also had its share of notable figures, the best known of whom was undoubtedly the renowned scholar Father Galgano di Rutilio (1663-1727). He was largely responsible for the classification and proper preservation of the family archives, now owned by the elder branch, which are deposited in the archives of Siena. This branch of the Bichi family died out at the end of the 17th century with Carlo di Firmano, who appointed Luigi Borghesi as his heir, thus giving birth to the Bichi Borghesi family. Automatically translated by DeepL. To see the original version, click here.