Violante Beatrice of Bavaria
Violante Beatrice of Bavaria was Grand Princess of Tuscany as the wife of Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany and Governor of Siena from 1717 until her death. Born a Duchess of Bavaria, the youngest child of Elector Ferdinand Maria, she married the heir to the Tuscan throne, Ferdinando de' Medici, in 1689. Violante Beatrice loved him but Ferdinando did not return her affection, declaring her too ugly and too dull. Her brother-in-law, Prince Gian Gastone, befriended her out of sympathy, a friendship that lasted until Violante Beatrice's demise.
The Grand Prince Ferdinando, Violante Beatrice's husband, by Niccolò Cassana, 1687
Violante Beatrice in mourning by Giovanna Fratellini, c. 1715
Grand Duke Gian Gastone, Violante's brother-in-law, by Franz Ferdinand Richter, 1737
Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany
Ferdinando de' Medici was the eldest son of Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Marguerite Louise d'Orléans. Ferdinando was heir to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, with the title Grand Prince, from his father's accession in 1670 until his death in 1713. He is remembered today primarily as a patron of music. An excellent musician himself, he attracted top musicians to Florence and thus made it an important musical center. Through his patronage of Bartolomeo Cristofori, Ferdinando made possible the invention of the piano.
Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany
Anton Domenico Gabbiani, Prince Ferdinand and his musicians, 1685–90, Florence, Palatine Gallery of Palazzo Pitti
Villa at Poggio a Caiano
Grand Prince Ferdinando de Medici – Giovanni Battista Foggini (1683) Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City