Francesco Francia, a goldsmith and painter
In Francesco Francia’s artistic training, his close ties to figurative art
and the Tuscan environment played an important role. The place bustled
with multi-purpose workshops where various techniques were practised,
and in 1482, the young Francia was a member of the Goldsmiths’ Guild.
He worked as a goldsmith as early as 1468 and achieved outstanding
results. At the time, Bologna and Florence were the most renowned
centres in Italy for niello works, which were used to embellish household
items, clothing accessories but also liturgical objects, such as the Paci
[12.4] exhibited here.
His debut in the field of painting as an adult, at almost forty years of age,
is still debated by critics, however, they unanimously agree that
he was probably self-taught using disparate models. He began by
painting “little things” and later worked in the large format of the
altarpiece, but he always recognised himself in that first, authoritative
profession.
On the Felicini Altarpiece [12.1] in fact, are the words “OPVS
FRANCIAE AVRIFICIS”.
Moreover, his workshop was a truly versatile one: not only did his sons
Giacomo and Giulio begin working there, following in their father’s
footsteps as painters, but the young and promising Bolognese engraver
Marcantonio Raimondi worked there as well.
