From November 28 to March 10, the Accademia Gallery hosts the first monographic exhibition in Europe dedicated to Pier Francesco Foschi (1502-67). The Florentine painter was a pupil of Andrea del Sarto and collaborated with Pontormo, with his successful career unfolding throughout the 16th century.
Portrait of lady in pink, Pier Francesco Foschi
Resurrection, Pala Bettoni 1542-44, Basilica of Santo Spirito. Ph. Cristian Ceccanti, Pier Francesco Foschi
Pier Francesco Foschi received commissions from noted families such as the Medici, Pucci and Torrigiani, but fell out of public memory following his death. This exhibition seeks to change that by giving visitors an opportunity to rediscover some of Foschi’s forgotten works and displaying newly restored paintings, including one of the altarpieces of the Santo Spirito Church.
Much of Foschi’s career was spent in collaborations with other notable artists, such as Pontormo, Vasari and Bronzino, and even the pinnacle of his career, the commission for Santo Spirito’s altarpiece, is recorded by Vasari within the biography of his master, Andrea del Sarto. Finally, from November 28, Foschi has an exhibition entirely dedicated to his own life and work for the first time in Europe.
The exhibition comprises 40 of his paintings and drawings that tell the story of his career from its very beginning, including the altarpiece produced between 1526 and 1530, and copies of Andrea del Sarto’s work from the years of his training. The work has been collected from a variety of sources from around the world, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Morgan Library & Museum in New York, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. The latter has loaned Andrea del Sarto’s Sacrifice of Isaac to the Accademia, which is being displayed for the first time alongside Foschi’s copy of the work, allowing visitors to see his direct stylistic influence.
The Accademia Gallery also announces the debut of their app, which provides information on the exhibition and artist, with official audio guides in both Italian and English.
