Image version from "Selected Works from The Dayton Art Institute Permanent Collection" publishe…

Francesco Salviati

Italian, 1510 - 1553

BiographyFrancesco del Rossi was given the surname Il Salviati because he was patronised by Cardinal Salviati. Rossi was the son of a velvet weaver, and was at first apprenticed to a goldsmith. Other sources state that he worked at first with Giuliano Bugiardini and Rafaello del Brescia, entering Andrea del Sarto's studio in 1529. With Giorgio Vasari, he was a pupil of Andrea del Sarto, and then of Baccio Bandinelli. He soon outshone Vasari, with whom he was on very close terms, and who considered him the greatest painter of his time. The two friends continued their studies together in Rome, and Rossi became acquainted with the works of Perino del Vaga and Michelangelo, who influenced him throughout his life. Rossi painted the Annunciation and Christ Speaking to St Philip in the church of S Maria della Pace. He then decorated the chapel of his benefactor, Cardinal Salviati, with a series of frescoes depicting the Life of St John the Baptist. Pier Luigi Farnese commissioned him to produced designs for Flemish tapestries in his palace, depicting the History of Alexander. With Vasari, Rossi decorated the apartments of the Palazzo della Cancelleria with several frescoes.

Rossi had a difficult and unstable temperament, and was unable to stay in the same place for long and led a very turbulent life. His irascible temper made him enemies wherever he went. From Rome, he went to Venice, where he produced paintings for public buildings and private collections. Of particular importance is his History of Psyche, which decorated one of the rooms in the Palazzo Grimaldi. Other works include a Deposition, in the church of S Pietro Martire.

After visiting the antiquities of Verona, Rossi returned to Rome in 1541 to decorate the church of S Maria dell'Anima. He returned to Florence, where Grand Duke Cosimo commissioned him to decorate one of the rooms of the Palazzo Vecchio, for which he painted the Triumph and Exploits of Furius Camillus, a work filled with imagination, and which is remarkable for the care and knowledge with which he produced the arms and costumes. Around 1548, he was in Rome again, leaving for France around 1554-1555 on the invitation of the cardinal of Lorraine. He worked for the cardinal in the Château de Dampierre. He was then received with much kindness by Primaticcio, who was in charge of the works ordered by Francis I on Fontainebleau palace. Rossi's slanderous and easily-offended manner caused him many problems, and he left France after a stay of just 20 months. During this time, he painted a very beautiful Deposition for the church of Célestins in Paris, and an Incredulity of St Thomas, now in the Louvre. Back in Rome, Pope Pius IV commissioned him to continue the decorations of the so-called King's Room, with Ricciarelli. As the works did not progress, they were joined by a third artist, Pirro Ligorio. Ligorio was unhappy with his colleagues for personal reasons and, seeing that the Pope did not wish to wait, advised him to choose more young painters and to share the works between them. Rossi took offence at this measure and left Rome. He later returned, but died before finishing his painting. Rossi always preferred fresco painting, and he produced many. According to Lanzi, he was highly inventive and produced varied compositions, the structure of his works was grandiose, and he was among the small group of artists who combined the speed of the paintbrush with the depth of drawing. He always employed much knowledge and boldness in this area of his work.

"ROSSI, Francesco Salviati del." In Benezit Dictionary of Artists. Oxford Art Online, http://www.oxfordartonline.com.proxy.lib.fsu.edu/subscriber/article/benezit/B00156240 (accessed April 12, 2012).

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