Michelangelo Naccherino

Michelangelo Naccherino (Florence, March 6, 1550 – Naples, February, 1622) was an Italian sculptor and architect, active mainly in the Kingdom of Naples, Italy.

He supposedly was a pupil of Giambologna in Florence, but due to disagreements moved to the Kingdom of Naples in 1573. From 1575-1577, he was active in Palermo, where he worked alongside Camillo Camilliani in the construction of the Fontana Pretoria, a project of Francesco Camilliani.

Fontana di Santa Lucia
Grotto of Adam and Eve in Boboli Gardens

Returning to Naples, he completed a number of Mannerist projects such as the tomb of Alfonso Sanchez (1588–89) in the Basilica of Santissima Annunziata Maggiore and a crucifix (1599) for the church of San Carlo all'Arena. He also completed a Madonna della Sanità for the church of Santa Maria della Sanità in the zone of Materdei, where he lived.

In the early 1600s, he participated in a variety of projects, including the Fontana di Santa Lucia and the Fontana del Gigante (along with Pietro Bernini). In 1607, he submitted a design for the Cappella del Tesoro di San Gennaro, in which he competed against Ceccardo Bernucci, Giovan Battista Cavagna, Giulio Cesare Fontana, Giovan Giacomo Di Conforto, Dionisio Nencioni di Bartolomeo, Francesco Grimaldi, and Giovanni Cola di Franco. The latter two won the competition.

In 1612, he completed some tombs in the church of Santo Stefano in Capri, and in 1616, he returned to Florence to sculpt an ‘’Adam and Eve’’ for the Boboli Gardens. Among those who worked with him were Giuliano Finelli, Francesco Cassano, Tommaso Montani, Angelo Landi, and Mario Marasi.

Other works