Antonello Gagini (1478–1536) was an Italian sculptor of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

, mainly active in

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

and

Calabria Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...

. Antonello belonged to a family of sculptors and artisans, originally from Northern Italy, but active throughout Italy, including

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, and

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. The family included his father,

Domenico Domenico is an Italian given name for males and may refer to: People * Domenico Alfani, Italian painter * Domenico Allegri, Italian composer * Domenico Alvaro, Italian mobster * Domenico Ambrogi, Italian painter * Domenico Auria, Italian a ...

(1449–1492), also a sculptor. Antonello had five sons who were sculptors: Antonio (or Antonino; 1510s-1574), Fazio (1520s-1567),

Giacomo Giacomo () is an Italian given name corresponding to English James (name), James. It is the Italian version of the Hebrew name Jacob (name), Jacob. People bearing the name include: *Giacomo Acerbo (1888–1969), Italian economi ...

(1517–1598), Giandomenico (1503-1560s), and Vicenzo (1527–1595). Antonello was born, in 1478, in Palermo, where the Gagini family had settled in 1463. Antonello is said to have aided

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...

Kruft, Hanno-Walter (1975). Antonello Gagini as Co-Author with Michelangelo on the Tomb of Pope Julius II. The Burlington Magazine, 117(870), 598-601. in the sculptural work on the massive tomb of

Pope Julius II Pope Julius II (; ; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death, in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope, the Battle Pope or the Fearsome ...

San Pietro in Vincoli San Pietro in Vincoli (; Saint Peter in Chains) is a Roman Catholic titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy. The church is on the Oppian Hill near Cavour metro station, a short distance from the Colosseum. The name alludes to the Bibl ...

, a project now known for the statue of

Moses In Abrahamic religions, Moses was the Hebrews, Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the The Exodus, Exodus from ancient Egypt, Egypt. He is considered the most important Prophets in Judaism, prophet in Judaism and Samaritani ...

. One of Antonio Gagini's most notable works is the decorated arch in the Capella della Madonna in the Santuario dell'Annunziata in

Trapani Trapani ( ; ; ) is a city and municipality (''comune'') with 54,887 inhabitants, on the west coast of Sicily, in Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Trapani. Founded by Elymians, the city is still an important fishing port and the mai ...

which he completed in 1537. Antonello also completed decorative ecclesiastical sculpture in the area of

Messina Messina ( , ; ; ; ) is a harbour city and the capital city, capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of 216,918 inhabitants ...

. A large collection of his works including an ''Annunciation'', ''Madonna with Child'', ''Madonna of the Snow'' and the ''Appearance of the Cross to Constantine'' are now in the Palazzo Abatellis in

Palermo Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...

. In the Chiesa dell’Addolorata in Soverato Superiore, Calabria there is the "Pietà", a representation of Mary and her dead son. He worked also at the

Cathedral of Palermo Palermo Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palermo, located in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. As an architectural complex, it is characterized by the pr ...

. Other works were destroyed during earthquakes. He helped train Giacomo del Duca.

References

Biography and works present at Palazzo Abatellis

Notes

1478 births 1536 deaths 15th-century Italian sculptors Italian male sculptors 16th-century Italian sculptors Italian Renaissance sculptors {{Italy-sculptor-stub