Tomb of Leonardo Bruni, Renaissance tomb in Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence, Italy.

The Tomb of Leonardo Bruni is a marble wall monument in the Basilica of Santa Croce, measuring 715 by 316.2 cm. Above a base carved with dancing putti and a lion's head stands a classical sarcophagus on lion's paws, bearing a Latin inscription held by two winged victories. A catafalque supported by eagles carries the reclining statue of Bruni, crowned with laurel and holding his History of Florence.

The marble tomb is dated 1450 and was made by Bernardo Rossellino, perhaps with his brother Antonio. Its commission is uncertain: Arezzo, Bruni's birthplace, sent two citizens to negotiate a statue with his son, but most scholars think the Florentine Signoria ordered it. Rossellino's account book records 100 lire owed by Cosimo de' Medici in 1457. Bruni's will had asked for a bare marble slab with only his name.

The tomb blends Roman design elements with Renaissance sculptural techniques, featuring angels, garlands, and putti throughout its decoration. These ornamental details express the humanist reverence for an accomplished scholar.

This funerary monument stands in the main nave of the Basilica of Santa Croce and sits directly across from a similar tomb dedicated to Carlo Marsuppini. Visitors can spot it easily during a church visit, as it stands prominently between the interior columns.

The Latin inscription in Roman capitals on the sarcophagus is held up by two winged victories, read as angels in the Christian scheme. Bruni's head is crowned with laurel, as Giannozzo Manetti actually did at his funeral, and his hands hold a copy of his History of Florence. The lunette Madonna was long attributed to Verrocchio through a mistake by Vasari.