gerius, sive de poetica appeared in a collected edition of his
works in 1555; it emphasizes the universality of poetry.
Francavilla, Pietro (Pierre Francheville, Pierre
Francqueville) (1548–1615) Belgian-born French sculptor
Francavilla was born at Cambrai. Initially discouraged
from his vocation, he went to Paris as a teenager to learn
drawing, before going (1566) to Innsbruck to work with a
compatriot, Alexander Colyn, on the tomb of Emperor
Maximilian. He was patronized by Archduke Ferdinand of
Tyrol and in 1571/72 he went to Rome and Florence with
a letter of introduction from Ferdinand to GIAMBOLOGNA,
then established as court sculptor to the Medici. Franca-
villa went into partnership with Giambologna, taking on
(1574) a big commission from Abbot Bracci for garden
statuary (now distributed between the Victoria and Albert
Museum, the Orangery, Kensington Palace, in London,
and the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Conn.). Soon af-
terwards Francavilla assisted Giambologna on the
Grimaldi chapel in Genoa and then carved two colossal
statues, Janus and Jupiter (signed and dated 1585), for the
Grimaldi palace there; he also carved six statues for the
Senarega chapel in Genoa cathedral.
Back in Florence, Francavilla helped execute Gi-
ambologna’s two great marble groups of the Rape of the
Sabines and Hercules Slaying a Centaur for the Loggia dei
Lanzi. He helped Giambologna with the marble statuary
in the Salviati chapel (San Marco) and carved five statues
of his own for the Niccolini chapel (Sta. Croce). His col-
laboration with Giambologna is specified in inscriptions
on portrait statues of Ferdinando I de’ Medici in Arezzo
and Pisa.
Francavilla left Florence for France (1604) at the be-
hest of Queen Marie de’ Medici, to erect on the Pont-Neuf
a bronze equestrian statue of her husband King Henry IV,
which was being produced in Giambologna’s Florence
workshop. In his studio in the Louvre Francavilla mod-
eled four slaves to adorn the corners of its pedestal, and
after his death they were cast in bronze by a pupil; these
survive (Louvre, Paris), but the statue was destroyed in
the French Revolution.
Francavilla’s style closely echoes Giambologna’s and
he frequently used his models. In his major works it is
hard to determine whether he contributed anything more
than competent carving in marble on a grand scale of a de-
sign by the greater sculptor. In his defense it should be
noted that virtually all Giambologna’s sculpture in marble
or bronze was produced by close collaboration with just
such skilled assistants.
Francesco di Giorgio Martini (1439–1502) Italian
architect and architectural theorist
Trained as a painter and sculptor in VECCHIETTA’s work-
shop in his native Siena, Francesco subsequently turned
to architecture. He wrote his influential Trattato dell’ar-
chitettura civile e militare about 1482. Using VITRUVIUSand
ALBERTIas springboards, Francesco attempted to rational-
ize and codify architectural practice, using illustrations to
clarify his theories. His drawings display eccentric adapta-
tions of Vitruvius’s anthropomorphism and an idiosyn-
cratic approach to classical design.
In his capacity as military engineer, Francesco trav-
eled to Milan, Naples, and Urbino, pioneering a design for
the angled bastion, and in 1477 he succeeded Luciano
LAURANAas architect to Federico da Montefeltro. Moving
to Urbino, he probably continued construction of the
Palazzo Ducale there and provided plans for the ducal
palace in Gubbio, as well as building many fortresses in
the Marches. His architectural work is poorly docu-
mented, but his singular style makes attribution fairly se-
cure. His hallmarks include the use of arches supported
on piers and capitals with flat fluting, evidenced in the
Palazzo Ducale, Urbino, and the Palazzo Communale, Iesi
(1486–98); superimposed pilasters whose capitals are
formed by the string course, executed in San Bernadino,
Urbino (1482–90) and Sta. Maria del Calcinaio, just out-
side Cortona (completed 1516); and the deployment of
classical lettering in the courtyards of the ducal palaces of
Urbino and Gubbio. Having maintained professional links
with Siena throughout his career, Francesco returned
there in 1497 after a six-year stay in Naples to advise on
military fortifications. A Nativity in the Pinacoteca, Siena,
is a good example of his work as a painter, among several
paintings in the same gallery.Francheville, Pierre See FRANCAVILLA, PIETROFrancia, Francesco Raibolini (1450–1517/18) Italian
painter and goldsmith
A native of Bologna, Francia began practicing as a gold-
smith before turning to painting in 1486. Influenced ini-
tially by the Ferrarese artists, Francia entered into
partnership with Lorenzo COSTA, with whom he worked
until 1506 when Costa left for Mantua. Early works, such
as his Madonna Enthroned with Saints (Pinacoteca,
Bologna), exemplify the austerity of the Ferrarese school
but later works, under the influence of the paintings of
Raphael and Perugino, are executed in an increasingly soft
style. Other works include several pictures of the
Madonna and the more personal portrait Federico Gon-
zaga as a Boy (1510; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
York).Franciabigio, Francesco di Cristofano (1482–1525)
Italian painter
A notable member of the Florentine school, Franciabigio
was a pupil of ALBERTINELLIand PIERO DI COSIMOand was
also influenced by RAPHAELand ANDREA DEL SARTO. He
collaborated with Andrea del Sarto on a series of paintings
in SS. Annunziata in Florence (1513) and in the ChiostroFFrraanncciiaabbiiggiioo,, FFrraanncceessccoo ddii CCrriissttooffaannoo 119911