Marco Vespucci was a Florentine merchant, a member of the Priori in the Signoria, and the husband of Simonetta Vespucci.
Vespucci was offered the services of artist Sandro Botticelli by Lorenzo the Magnificent, with Simonetta and Giuliano de' Medici being chosen to model for the painting. Vespucci later suspected his wife was having an affair, having witnessed Botticelli's infatuation with her. However, he discovered that his wife's affair was with Giuliano, and despite her becoming very ill, he imprisoned her when she refused to renounce her love for Giuliano. Vespucci was confronted by Giuliano regarding his wife's absence, and he allowed him to be with her as she died from her illness. Angered by these developments, Vespucci plotted with the Pazzi to overthrow the Medici.