Giacomo della Porta

Born in 1533, likely in Genoa or Porlezza, Della Porta began as a sculptor in his late twenties before pivoting to architecture. His work on the Oratory of Santissimo Crocifisso launched his architectural practice in Rome. In 1564 he was elected Architetto del Popolo Romano - Architect of the Roman People - a title under which he executed his most significant public and private commissions. His career became defined by a particular pattern: inheriting projects begun by Michelangelo, Vignola, and others, adding his own hand to their unfinished work rather than building his own designs end to end. He died in 1602, having left his mark not as an originator but as the man who carried the baton across the line.