DOI issue:
Nr. 3
DOI article:Skubiszewska, Maria: Franciabigio's two tondi with Annunciation
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18860#0103
The last scheme appears in the Warsaw picture. Yet Franciabigio abandoned a rather natural
pose of the figure still adopted on the mitre of San Zeno in 1506 (fig. 5). The artist now apparently
sought to equal contemporary Roman painting. He represented the Virgin in a complicated,
twisted movement : her face is shown in profile, her shoulders en trois quarts from the back but
the lower part of her body en trois quarts frontally.
The striking lightness of Gabriel is rather exceptional for Franciabigio. The draperies of the
garments of this heavenly messenger seem to move as if under the impact of the recently accom-
plished flight. Their ethereal appearance recalls Peruzzi's frescoes10 and this corroborates the
observation of Susan R. McKillop about the influence exerted by the decoration of Farnesina
on the artist11.
We have every reason, then, to believe that the tondi were not painted before 1511, which
year is being regarded as terminus post quern for Franciabigio's stay in Rome. His travel to the
Eternal City did not leave any trace in the records but the fact itself cannot be doubted in the
light of the obvious change in Franciabigio's style ; incidentally the name of the artist disappears
from Florentine records in 1511—151312.
After the return from Rome begins the most accomplished stage in Franciabigio's artistic
development. Now his compositions attained a considerable degree of monumentality, although
they did not lose his habitual suavity and lyrical intimacy. The works from this period are
generally considered as the most outstanding. The panels for the altarpiece of St. Nicholas of
Tolentino in Santo Spirito in Florence are among them.
The design for this altarpiece, which once belonged to Vasari's collection of drawings and was
attributed by mm to Franciabigio13, is now considered by most scholars as the work of Jacopo
Sansovino and is dated to the period shortly before or around 1506, the date of the latter's
departure for Rome (fig- 6)14. The typically "Sansovinesque" architectural framework comprises
five figures. The biggest of them, that of the patron saint, stands in the central niche with a cir-
cular arch ; two flying angels crown his head. In the smaller side niches appear two angels who
are shown en trois quarts and turn towards the saint. Two rectangles over the side figures contain
the Archangel Gabriel and Mary who thus make up the Annunciation group. The attitudes of
these figures resemble the composition on the Washington tondi and on the mitre of San Zeno.
Only the Virgin's deeply inclined head expresses the attitude of a more marked submissiveness
and the angel's motion is more accentuated.
This design served as the base for the actual altarpiece which was produced, doubtless before
151815; an earlier date however, around or shortly before 1513 may also be accepted16. Vasari
gave the following description of this work : "Edificossi allora in Santo Spirito di Fiorenza la
capella di San Niccola ; nella quale di legno col modello di lacopo San Sovino,fu intagliato esso Santo
10. See especially the Death of Melcagcr in the Sala del Fregio of c. 1509—1511 (Ch.L. Frommel, "Baldassare Peruzzi", Beihefl
zum Romischen Jahrbuch fur Kunstgescliichte, XI, 1967/1969, p. 61, cat. no. 18a).
11. McKillop, op. cit., p. 44, 47f.
12. McKillop, op. cit., p. 10—11; Freedberg, op. cit., p. 237.
13. O. Kurz ("Giorgio Vasari's Libro de'Disegni", Old Master Drawings, XII, 1937—1938, December, no. 47, p. 37) published
the drawing for the first time.
14. McKillop, op. cit., p. 232—234, presents the history of this attribution and gives serious reason for crediting Jacopo Sanso-
vino with the drawing. At present only A. Parronchi ("L'altare di San Nicola da Tolentino del Franciabigio", Commentari,
XXII, 1, 1971, p. 24) agrees with the opinion of Vasari.
15. This terminus ante quem was revealed by Scricchia, op. cit., p. 12, 21, on the grounds of a seventeenth-century source.
16. According to a record from 1604, summarized and fragmentarily quoted by Parronchi, op. cit., p. 25 : ex ereditate quondam
R. di Patris magistri Niccolai Iohannis Lapi florentini, fratris professi ciusdem Conventus, cut quidem magistro Niccolao
fuit concessit ... anno 1513 a Dnis Opcrariis dicte Ecclesic Sa/icli Spiritus. Questa è una notizia importantissima perchéfissa
ai 1513 il terminus ante.
89
pose of the figure still adopted on the mitre of San Zeno in 1506 (fig. 5). The artist now apparently
sought to equal contemporary Roman painting. He represented the Virgin in a complicated,
twisted movement : her face is shown in profile, her shoulders en trois quarts from the back but
the lower part of her body en trois quarts frontally.
The striking lightness of Gabriel is rather exceptional for Franciabigio. The draperies of the
garments of this heavenly messenger seem to move as if under the impact of the recently accom-
plished flight. Their ethereal appearance recalls Peruzzi's frescoes10 and this corroborates the
observation of Susan R. McKillop about the influence exerted by the decoration of Farnesina
on the artist11.
We have every reason, then, to believe that the tondi were not painted before 1511, which
year is being regarded as terminus post quern for Franciabigio's stay in Rome. His travel to the
Eternal City did not leave any trace in the records but the fact itself cannot be doubted in the
light of the obvious change in Franciabigio's style ; incidentally the name of the artist disappears
from Florentine records in 1511—151312.
After the return from Rome begins the most accomplished stage in Franciabigio's artistic
development. Now his compositions attained a considerable degree of monumentality, although
they did not lose his habitual suavity and lyrical intimacy. The works from this period are
generally considered as the most outstanding. The panels for the altarpiece of St. Nicholas of
Tolentino in Santo Spirito in Florence are among them.
The design for this altarpiece, which once belonged to Vasari's collection of drawings and was
attributed by mm to Franciabigio13, is now considered by most scholars as the work of Jacopo
Sansovino and is dated to the period shortly before or around 1506, the date of the latter's
departure for Rome (fig- 6)14. The typically "Sansovinesque" architectural framework comprises
five figures. The biggest of them, that of the patron saint, stands in the central niche with a cir-
cular arch ; two flying angels crown his head. In the smaller side niches appear two angels who
are shown en trois quarts and turn towards the saint. Two rectangles over the side figures contain
the Archangel Gabriel and Mary who thus make up the Annunciation group. The attitudes of
these figures resemble the composition on the Washington tondi and on the mitre of San Zeno.
Only the Virgin's deeply inclined head expresses the attitude of a more marked submissiveness
and the angel's motion is more accentuated.
This design served as the base for the actual altarpiece which was produced, doubtless before
151815; an earlier date however, around or shortly before 1513 may also be accepted16. Vasari
gave the following description of this work : "Edificossi allora in Santo Spirito di Fiorenza la
capella di San Niccola ; nella quale di legno col modello di lacopo San Sovino,fu intagliato esso Santo
10. See especially the Death of Melcagcr in the Sala del Fregio of c. 1509—1511 (Ch.L. Frommel, "Baldassare Peruzzi", Beihefl
zum Romischen Jahrbuch fur Kunstgescliichte, XI, 1967/1969, p. 61, cat. no. 18a).
11. McKillop, op. cit., p. 44, 47f.
12. McKillop, op. cit., p. 10—11; Freedberg, op. cit., p. 237.
13. O. Kurz ("Giorgio Vasari's Libro de'Disegni", Old Master Drawings, XII, 1937—1938, December, no. 47, p. 37) published
the drawing for the first time.
14. McKillop, op. cit., p. 232—234, presents the history of this attribution and gives serious reason for crediting Jacopo Sanso-
vino with the drawing. At present only A. Parronchi ("L'altare di San Nicola da Tolentino del Franciabigio", Commentari,
XXII, 1, 1971, p. 24) agrees with the opinion of Vasari.
15. This terminus ante quem was revealed by Scricchia, op. cit., p. 12, 21, on the grounds of a seventeenth-century source.
16. According to a record from 1604, summarized and fragmentarily quoted by Parronchi, op. cit., p. 25 : ex ereditate quondam
R. di Patris magistri Niccolai Iohannis Lapi florentini, fratris professi ciusdem Conventus, cut quidem magistro Niccolao
fuit concessit ... anno 1513 a Dnis Opcrariis dicte Ecclesic Sa/icli Spiritus. Questa è una notizia importantissima perchéfissa
ai 1513 il terminus ante.
89