Florence’s first U.S. Consul assumed office in 1823, his name was Giacomo Ombrosi and, curiously, he wasn’t American. Michele Amedei, a scholar and art historian specializing in the link among American artists in Tuscany in the first half of the 19th century, details his research.

The Florentine: What can you tell us about Giacomo Ombrosi?
Michele Amedei: As far as we know, Giacomo Ombrosi was Tuscan. In 1819, he became vice-consul of the U.S. in Florence under the jurisdiction of the American Consulate, which was in Livorno at that time. He served in that role until 1823, when he became the first U.S. Consul in Florence, a position he held for 25 years. We also know that he was a traveller and that he spent some time in the United States in the early 1820s. He started his career as a sort of guide for American tourists visiting Florence.