Franchini Franchino Gaffurio , (or Franchinus Gaffurius) (Lodi, January 14th 1451 - Milan, 1522), originating in a former noble family of Padoue, is a type-setter and Italian theorist of the music.

It met Johannes Tinctoris at the time of a stay with Naples. It made its studies of right and theology with Leuwen, then became priest and canon of Nivelles, then exerted with Liege. In 1472 or 1475, he worked at the Aragonese court of Naples, as a chaplain and a cantor of Ferdinand d' Aragon, king de Naples. This one, which treated it with much respect, sent it in 1487 in France and Germany to recruit singers there.

Gaffurio writes its principal musical treaties, composes the major part of its music, translated into Latin of the Greek works of musical theory and publishes works of some humanistic. It is with Milan also that he becomes the friend of important personalities in the artistic medium, such as the Belgian type-setter of the the Brabant Johannes Martini. Musical taste of Isabelle d' Este wife of Francesco Gonzague, duke of Mantoue at summer worked by its education at the Ducal court of his/her father Hercules d' Este de Ferrare under the crook of Johannes Martini.

Léonard de Vinci carried out his portrait in 1490 ( Franchino Gaffurio, portrait of a musician ). It is the only male portrait of Léonard de Vinci.

Most of its music is consisted Messe S and Motet S intended for the Cathédrale of Milan. Its religious compositions, as well as parts of other type-setters, were joined together under its direction in four manuscripts, today known under the name of Codex of Gaffurius . Its three principal treaties, Theorica musical (Milan, 1492), Practica musicae (Milan, 1496) and Of harmonized musicorum instrumentorum opus (Milan, 1518), offer a broad spectrum of studies. -----