Baldassare Cossa

Baldassare Cossa , c.1370-1419, Neapolitan churchman, antipope (1410-15; see Schism, Great ) with the name John XXIII. He had a military career before entering the service of the church. He was made a cardinal by Boniface IX (1402) and proved himself able, especially in financial matters. In 1408 he deserted Gregory XII and helped to bring about the Council of Pisa to end the schism between the Roman and the Avignon popes. The council, declaring both Gregory XII and Benedict XIII deposed, set up a third claimant, Alexander V. On Alexander's death a year later, Cardinal Cossa was elected. Of the three rival "popes," John had by far the greatest following. He immediately sought the aid of Sigismund and helped elect Sigismund Holy Roman emperor. John allied himself with Louis II of Anjou (later king of Naples) to make war on Lancelot of Naples and his ally Gregory XII. An ineffective council at Rome (1412-13) was followed by the Council of Constance (see Constance, Council of ), which John convened under pressure from Sigismund. At the opening of the council he reluctantly promised (1415) to abdicate if his rivals would do so. Then, surreptitiously, he fled to the lands of his ally Frederick of Hapsburg. He was forced to return. The council formally deposed him, and he submitted. He was held prisoner in Germany until released by Martin V in 1418; he returned to Italy. He died cardinal bishop of Tusculum. In his lifetime he had a reputation for unscrupulousness and self-aggrandizement.

John XXIII (1370–1419) Antipope (1410–15), b. Baldassare Cossa. He convoked the Council of Constance (1414) to end the Great Schism. The Council called for his resignation along with the other papal contenders, Gregory XII (Rome) and Benedict XIII (Avignon). He fled but was brought back and forced to resign. He was imprisoned until 1418, when he acknowledged Martin V as Pope.

Rossellino, Bernardo (b Settignano, c.1409; d Florence, 23 Sept. 1464) and Antonio (b Settignano, c.1427; d Florence, 1479). Florentine sculptors, brothers. The family name was Gambarelli, but Antonio's nickname ( Rossellino means ‘little redhead’) is now applied to both of them. They had three other brothers who also worked as sculptors, and all five of them seem to have worked together under Bernardo's management. He was an architect as well as a sculptor and he combined both arts in his chief work—the tomb of the great humanist Leonardo Bruni, chancellor of the Florentine Republic, in S. Croce, Florence (c.1444–7). It is based on the monument of the antipope John XXIII ( Baldassare Cossa) by Donatello and Michelozzo in the Baptistery in Florence, and although less powerful is more graceful and harmonious; the pilasters framing the serene reclining effigy have a dignity and elegance almost worthy of Brunelleschi. It became the model for the niche tomb for the rest of the century.

Antonio was trained by his brother, and his most ambitious work—the tomb of the Cardinal Prince of Portugal in S. Miniato al Monte, Florence (1461–6)—is based on Bernardo's Bruni tomb. It is more elaborate and concerned with movement than Bernardo's masterpiece, but also a less coherent design, and Antonio was a more distinguished artist when working on a smaller scale. He was a fine portraitist (Giovanni Chellini, 1456, V&A, London) and also made charming reliefs and statuettes of the Madonna and Child, in which he continued the tradition of Luca della Robbia in stressing the naturalness and humanity of the Virgin (perhaps the finest of his reliefs is that in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, known as the Altman Madonna).