FRANCAVILLA, Pietro

The life-size marble statue of Apollo, with one knee on a tree stump, is shown leaning on a lyre, which rests on a tree stump, with his right leg raised and resting on another part of the stump. The lyre symbolises Apollo the patron of poetry, music and leader of the Muses. Over his right shoulder is a robe, which he holds with his right hand and which partly covers the lyre. In his left hand he holds a bunch of leaves. He wears a crown of laurel leaves, awarded for achievement in the arts.

This statue is one of a series of thirteen marbles commissioned from Francavilla by Antonio di Zanobi Bracci in 1574 on the recommendation of the sculptor Giambologna for the garden of the Villa Bracci at Rovezzano, near Florence. The statues were acquired in 1750 by Frederick, Prince of Wales. The crated sculptures were transported to Kew, and in 1786 were apparently still in their crates and stored in a shed.

Apollo and Zephyr were discovered in the grounds at Kew in 1852, and underwent restoration by the sculptor Thomas Thorneycroft (1815-1885). They are lent to the museum by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.

The Niccolini Chapel was constructed from 1585 by Giovanni Antonio Dosio. The appeal of the chapel is exercised in part through is polychromy. In the centre of the lateral walls are tomb-chests with tabernacles over them, each containing a seated figure, on one side Aaron and on the other Moses. Beside them are the Virtues. All figures are signed by Pietro Francavilla.

The picture shows the figure of Chastity to the left of Moses.

The hero leans on Goliath’s sword after killing the Philistine giant with his sling; on the ground is Goliath’s decapitated head. The statue shows a marked decline in quality from his earlier works.

Ferdinando I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1549-1609) was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I. Ferdinando was the fifth son of Cosimo I de’ Medici and Eleonora di Toledo.

Ferdinando acquired many works of art in Rome which he then brought back to Florence with him. During his reign, Tuscany revived and regained the independence his brother had given up.

The four statues are from the corners of the pedestal of the equestrian statue of Henri IV on the Pont-Neuf in Paris. Begun by Francavilla around 1614 and finished by his son-in-law Francesco Bordoni (1580-1654) in 1618, the slaves represented not only the conquered nations but also the four ages of life and the four corners of the world, together symbolizing the spiritual power of the monarchy.

Francavilla went to Paris, at the request of Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France, to supervise the installation on the Pont Neuf of Giambologna’s bronze equestrian statue of Henry IV (destroyed 1796; fragments, Paris, Louvre). The statue was cast in Florence and shipped to France only in 1613. Francavilla was apparently responsible for modelling the four bronze Slaves to decorate the angles of its pedestal, although they were cast only in 1618, after his death, by his son-in-law Francesco Bordoni.

The surviving fragments have been loaned by the Louvre to the Mus�e Carnavalet.

The picture shows two of the four Slaves, the young and the middle-aged.

The four statues are from the corners of the pedestal of the equestrian statue of Henri IV on the Pont-Neuf in Paris. Begun by Francavilla around 1614 and finished by his son-in-law Francesco Bordoni (1580-1654) in 1618, the slaves represented not only the conquered nations but also the four ages of life and the four corners of the world, together symbolizing the spiritual power of the monarchy.

Francavilla went to Paris, at the request of Marie de’ Medici, Queen of France, to supervise the installation on the Pont Neuf of Giambologna’s bronze equestrian statue of Henry IV (destroyed 1796; fragments, Paris, Louvre). The statue was cast in Florence and shipped to France only in 1613. Francavilla was apparently responsible for modelling the four bronze Slaves to decorate the angles of its pedestal, although they were cast only in 1618, after his death, by his son-in-law Francesco Bordoni.

The surviving fragments have been loaned by the Louvre to the Mus�e Carnavalet.

The picture shows two of the four Slaves, the African and the elderly.

The Niccolini Chapel was constructed from 1585 by Giovanni Antonio Dosio. The appeal of the chapel is exercised in part through is polychromy. In the centre of the lateral walls are tomb-chests with tabernacles over them, each containing a seated figure, on one side Aaron and on the other Moses. Beside them are the Virtues. All figures are signed by Pietro Francavilla.

The picture shows the figure of Innocence to the left of Aaron.

After a brief period in Paris, in 1566 Francavilla moved to Insbruck, where he worked for five or six years. Here he attracted the notice of the Archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol, by whom he was sent to Italy to study with Giambologna. He rapidly became Giambologna’s principal assistant, travelling with him to Genoa in 1579. In Genoa he carved a pair of colossal statues of Janus and Jupiter (signed and dated 1585) for the Palazzo Grimaldi.

Francavilla learned in Florence that splayed fingers, nearly impossible to make on their own, could be achieved by placing something in the figure’s hand: the keys in his Janus, served as attributes, but they also liberated the sculptor to arrange hands in nearly any way that occurred to him.

After a brief period in Paris, in 1566 Francavilla moved to Insbruck, where he worked for five or six years. Here he attracted the notice of the Archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol, by whom he was sent to Italy to study with Giambologna. He rapidly became Giambologna’s principal assistant, travelling with him to Genoa in 1579. In Genoa he carved a pair of colossal statues of Janus and Jupiter (signed and dated 1585) for the Palazzo Grimaldi.

Francavilla learned in Florence that splayed fingers, nearly impossible to make on their own, could be achieved by placing something in the figure’s hand: the keys in his Janus, served as attributes, but they also liberated the sculptor to arrange hands in nearly any way that occurred to him.

One of the finest of Francavilla statues independent of Giambologna is the Jason with the Golden Fleece. In 1589 Giovanni Battista Zanchini commissioned Pietro Francavilla for a Jason to be placed in the courtyard of Palazzo Zanchini in Florence. The statue is now in the Bargello Museum.

After a brief period in Paris, in 1566 Francavilla moved to Innsbruck, where he worked for five or six years. Here he attracted the notice of the Archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol, by whom he was sent to Italy to study with Giambologna. He rapidly became Giambologna’s principal assistant, travelling with him to Genoa in 1579. In Genoa he carved a pair of colossal statues of Janus and Jupiter (signed and dated 1585) for the Palazzo Grimaldi.

This marble statue was made in Florence in 1598 and placed in J�r�me de Gondi’s garden in Paris, accompanied by bronze figures of animals. It was later installed in the gardens at Versailles.

Orpheus charms the animals with the sound of his lyre, with Cerberus, the three-headed dog who guarded the entrance to the underworld, at his side.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 7 minutes):

Cristoph Willibald Gluck: Orfeo, Act I, Orpheus’ aria in G Major

This marble statue was made in Florence in 1598 and placed in J�r�me de Gondi’s garden in Paris, accompanied by bronze figures of animals. It was later installed in the gardens at Versailles.

Orpheus charms the animals with the sound of his lyre, with Cerberus, the three-headed dog who guarded the entrance to the underworld, at his side.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 7 minutes):

Cristoph Willibald Gluck: Orfeo, Act I, Orpheus’ aria in G Major

The Niccolini Chapel was constructed from 1585 by Giovanni Antonio Dosio. The appeal of the chapel is exercised in part through is polychromy. In the centre of the lateral walls are tomb-chests with tabernacles over them, each containing a seated figure, on one side Aaron and on the other Moses. Beside them are the Virtues. All figures are signed by Pietro Francavilla.

The picture shows the figure of Prudence to the right of Moses.

The Ponte Santa Trinita was ornamented with statues of the Four Seasons on the occasion of the marriage of Cosimo II de’ Medici to Maria Maddalena of Austria in 1608. Giovanni Battista Caccini’s earlier garden sculptures Summer and Autumn were purchased by Ferdinando I for this purpose. Spring by Pietro Francavilla and Winter by Taddeo Landini complemented the series.

In August 1944 the Ponte Santa Trinita was one of the three ancient bridges that were blown up by the retreating German forces. It was rebuilt between 1952 and 1958, using the same stones wherever possible.

The four statues were also fished out of the river, reassembled and replaced on the bridge. Unfortunately, the head of the statue of Spring, which stands on the north-eastern side of the bridge, could not be found. A local antiquarian offered a reward for its discovery and in 1961 it was finally retrieved and returned to its owner.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 13 minutes):

Vivaldi: Concerto in E major RV 269 op. 8. No. 1 (Spring)

The Ponte Santa Trinita was ornamented with statues of the Four Seasons on the occasion of the marriage of Cosimo II de’ Medici to Maria Maddalena of Austria in 1608. Giovanni Battista Caccini’s earlier garden sculptures Summer and Autumn were purchased by Ferdinando I for this purpose. Spring by Pietro Francavilla and Winter by Taddeo Landini complemented the series.

In August 1944 the Ponte Santa Trinita was one of the three ancient bridges that were blown up by the retreating German forces. It was rebuilt between 1952 and 1958, using the same stones wherever possible.

The four statues were also fished out of the river, reassembled and replaced on the bridge. Unfortunately, the head of the statue of Spring, which stands on the north-eastern side of the bridge, could not be found. A local antiquarian offered a reward for its discovery and in 1961 it was finally retrieved and returned to its owner.

The photo shows Pietro Francavilla’s Spring and Caccini’s Summer (at the background) at the entrance of Ponte Santa Trinita.

The Niccolini Chapel was constructed from 1585 by Giovanni Antonio Dosio. The appeal of the chapel is exercised in part through is polychromy. In the centre of the lateral walls are tomb-chests with tabernacles over them, each containing a seated figure, on one side Aaron and on the other Moses. Beside them are the Virtues. All figures are signed by Pietro Francavilla.

The picture shows the seated figure of Aaron.

The Niccolini Chapel was constructed from 1585 by Giovanni Antonio Dosio. The appeal of the chapel is exercised in part through is polychromy. In the centre of the lateral walls are tomb-chests with tabernacles over them, each containing a seated figure, on one side Aaron and on the other Moses. Beside them are the Virtues. All figures are signed by Pietro Francavilla.

The picture shows the seated figure of Moses. The statue is related to the Moses of Michelangelo: the position of the knees has been reversed, and the head, turned over the right shoulder, is balanced by a book resting on the left thigh. While Francavilla’s Moses lacks the solidity of Michelangelo’s, it has a gravity and weight of meaning of which Michelangelo could not but have approved.

The life-size marble statue of Zephyr is shown standing with his left leg slightly bent, his foot resting on a cloud, and he wears a crown. Next to his left foot is the upturned face of a cherub, who with his blown out cheeks symbolises the blowing wind that Zephyr represents. The wind that is shown blowing from the cherub’s mouth goes up and becomes a billowing piece of cloth, held with both hands by Zephyr.

This statue is one of a series of thirteen marbles commissioned from Francavilla by Antonio di Zanobi Bracci in 1574 on the recommendation of the sculptor Giambologna for the garden of the Villa Bracci at Rovezzano, near Florence. The statues were acquired in 1750 by Frederick, Prince of Wales. The crated sculptures were transported to Kew, and in 1786 were apparently still in their crates and stored in a shed.

Apollo and Zephyr were discovered in the grounds at Kew in 1852, and underwent restoration by the sculptor Thomas Thorneycroft (1815-1885). They are lent to the museum by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.