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In Florence in 1590, Grand Duke Ferdinand I allowed Giambologna to set up a workshop next to his house in Borgo Pinti. After the master's death, the workshop was inherited by Pietro Tacca, and later by his son, Ferdinando. As head of the Borgo Pinti workshop Ferdinando Tacca was responsible for organising festivities and religious ceremonial for the Medici court. He designed many ingenious machines for theatrical performances and festivities, and he was also involved in Florence's first theatre, the Teatro della Pergola. Because a large portion of his time was taken up with temporary decorations, he was long considered primarily as a stage designer, engineer and architect. Only recently has his authorship of a group of sculptures been recognised. Somewhat perplexingly, although he was the head of the grand ducal sculpture workshop and foundry in the Borgo Pinti workshop, the centre of bronze casting in Florence, many years passed before a small bronze was attributed to him.
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