Francesco di Simone Ferrucci, 1437-1493

Francesco di Simone Ferrucci, of a family of sculptors and stoneworkers from Fiesole, was one of the most prolific and successful sculptors in Florence during the last quarter of the fifteenth century, but has suffered a critical neglect in modem art history due largely to prejudices inherited from values formulated in the nineteenth century. An investigation of his career beginning with a more modem understanding of the relationship between the individual artist and the often collective methods of art production in the Renaissance reveals Francesco di Simone as a significant participant in the artistic mainstream of this critical period. Two stylistic phases may be discerned in his career, the first aligned with the mid-century fashion of the Antonio Rossellino workshop, and the second with the more robust and monumental manner of Verrocchio and allied artists in the last third of the Quattrocento. Francesco di Simone oversaw a facility whose volume of production was impressive, carrying out works for clients in Florence and in other parts of Italy and it appears likely that this workshop executed the sculpture in stone for projects commissioned from Verrocchio, supervised or in partnership with Verrocchio's chief assistant Lorenzo di Credi. Reevaluation of the artist's works has resulted in a more complete and consistent catalog, with some new attributions and revisions of the previously-accepted chronology of these works.

Note: Abstract extracted from PDF file via OCR.