Artist. He was born in Florence, Italy. He is one of the greatest artists in the Western art, in the peak of Renaissance era. At nineteen, he went to Rome, where he worked for Popes Clement VII and Paul III, for whom he made jeweled ornaments and medallions. In 1536, he traveled to France, where he made the famous salt-cellar for King François I and sculpted decorations for the palace at Fontainebleau. In Florence, Cellini was supported by Duke Cosimo I de Medici. Cosimo’s first commission was for a large bronze “Perseus” holding Medusa’s severed head. This magnificent nude figure in the Piazza della Signoria is a gay icon for its depiction of a beautiful young man. In fact, Cellini was convicted of homosexuality in Florence in 1523 and in 1557. Other of his famous works are the marble statues of “Ganymede and the Eagle,” “Narcissus” and “Apollo and Hyacinth.” He also wrote his autobiography entitled “Vita.” He died in his hometown. (bio by: José L Bernabé Tronchoni)