Leonardo Galli (1760-1812)

He bore the title of the ‘Chief Stonemason of the King of Poland’. He was active in Poland in the years 1789–1812, also after the abdication of Stanisław August. This Italian sculptor was the most outstanding artisan of the stone factory near the quarries in Dębnik near Cracow, which was reopened by Stanisław August.

In Warsaw, he supervised the works connected with the installation of decorative elements imported from Dębnik. He also carried out some sculpting tasks. In 1792, in the Rotund of the Palace on the Isle, he tiled the marble floor adorned with a depiction of the head of Medusa – one of the mythological Gorgons. It was most likely inlaid with colourful stones. After its destruction, Galli presumably assembled the currently existing pattern of a star (so-called Rose of the Winds). Aside from some smaller works, the work of Galli is unknown.