Cristoforo Foppa

Who was Cristoforo Foppa?

Cristoforo Foppa was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, and die sinker.

According to some sources he was born at Mondonico]/Olgiate Molgora in the Province of Lecco, and according to others in Pavia. It is possible that this artist is not correctly known as Ambrogio, but that his Christian name was Cristoforo. He was in the service of Lodovico Il Moro, Duke of Milan, for some years, and executed for him a medal and several pieces of goldsmith's work. He worked in Hungary in the service of King Matthias Corvinus, probably in August 1489; a later visit to the court was cut short by the King's death in 1490. Later on he is heard of in Rome, working for Popes Julius II and Leo X. His will was executed in 1526 and he is believed to have died in the following year. Cellini refers at some length to a medal struck by him in Rome, having upon it a representation of Bramante and his design for St. Peter's Basilica, and he speaks of him as "the most excellent goldsmith of that time, who has no equal in the execution of dies". He is said by some to have been responsible for the terracotta reliefs in the sacristy of San Satiro in Milan. In addition to the Bramante and Moro medals, three others are attributed to him, one representing Julius II, another the fourth Duke of Milan, Francesco Sforza, and the third Gian Giacomo Trivulzio.