Ferrata, l’Accademia fiorentina a Roma: gli artisti lacuali alla corte granducale

The Medici Art Academy in Rome (1673-1686) was one of the most remarkable event of Grand Duke Cosimo III’s patronage. Though a rich bibliography on the matter since Klaus Lankheit’s pioneering study of Florentinische Barockplastik 1670-1743 (Munich 1962), Ercole Ferrata’s teaching role has still some points to research and investigate. The reason for the selection of his well known workshop was certainly connected with his position as artist capable to use both Algardi - Cosimo III’s favourite master - and Bernini lessons and with the Intelvese sculptor capacity in carving marble and modelling stucco, but even for his relationships with Falconieri family which was strictly involved with Medici’s patronage, both in Florence and Rome. The new subject focused is the long lasting influence of Ferrata’s training not only to the numerous young sculptors pensioned in Rome, but especially through the decades which followed their Roman travel when they worked in Florence together with Lake Artists for Grand Duke and his court. The presence of masters from Valle Intelvi and Sottoceneri, documented by their subscription to the Compagnia di San Carlo dei Lombardi in Florence, started at least with Frisoni’s work for the Pitti Planet Rooms during the 1640s and continued until Habsburg times with the important renewal works by Albertolli équipe promoted by archduke Leopoldo. During Cosimo III’s age many significant yards directed by court architect Giovanni Battista Foggini, Ferrata’s pupil as well, both for palaces, as Medici Ricciardi or Marucelli Fenzi ones, or churches as the Ferroni chapel at the SS. Annunziata, involved dynasties from Sottoceneri as the Ciceri and the Portugalli, working together with artists who had been trained in Rome by the Intelvese sculptor as Carlo Marcellini, Giuseppe Piamontini and Anton Francesco Andreozzi.