Pier Francesco Foschi: the Medici painter forgotten by Vasari

Pier Francesco Foschi (Florence, 1502–1567) was a pupil of Andrea del Sarto and a founder of the Accademia del Disegno in 1562 alongside Bronzino, Michele di Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, and Francesco da Sangallo. Despite his talent, Giorgio Vasari excluded him from the Lives. Foschi worked for prominent Florentine families including the Pucci, Torrigiani, and Medici, decorating the Villa di Careggi for Duke Alessandro de' Medici and the Villa di Castello for Cosimo I. His success peaked in the 1540s with altarpieces for Santo Spirito, such as the Resurrection, Transfiguration, and Disputation on the Immaculate Conception. Art historian Carlo Gamba in 1924 described his moderate chromatic choices as "Michelangelism without muscles and without courage." Foschi also painted portraits of the Pucci and Salviati families. In his later years, his style became more simplified and bidimensional, focusing on sacred subjects. He remained active into old age, contributing to Michelangelo's funeral decorations in 1564 (praised by Vasari) and the wedding decorations for Francesco de' Medici and Joanna of Austria in 1565. Forgotten for centuries, the Gallerie dell'Accademia di Firenze mounted the first European exhibition dedicated to Foschi, curated by Cecilie Hollberg, Elvira Altiero, Nelda Damiano, and Simone Giordani, open until March 10, 2024, featuring 40 works including paintings and drawings.