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THE GREAT
TRADITION OF
FLORENTINE SILVERWARE |
| Italiano Grazie !  "Ariento" Consortium List of Members Tradition of Florentine Silverware |
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 Forever
in the church of Santissima Annunziata, fundamentals for
the Florentine story of Art, are also the ciborium of the
major altar, dating back to 1655, work of Giovan Battista
and Marc'Antonio Merlini, from the design by Alfonso
Parigi, and, the lower frontal of 1680-1682, work Arrigo
Brunich from the design of the Giovan Battista Foggini.
The latter whom was artistic director of all the court
workshop, that using his style, instructed all Florentine
artistical production. Priceless relics, deriving from
the Grand ducal workshops, are now conserved at the
"Cappelle Medicee" at San Lorenzo. Among these
works, are also those of renowned and excellent
silversmiths such as Massimiliano Soldani Benzi. Also be
noted is the frontal of the altar at the Cappella della
Madonna, in the church of Santa Maria dell'Impruneta,
dating from 1692 until 1698, and from 1711 until 1714,
work of Bernardo Holzmann and Cosimo Merlini from the
design by Foggini. It should be noted however, that
costantly in Florence, from the end of the 1500s, for all
the 1600s, and also after, two types of silverware
production can be distinguished: one of the great ducal
workshops, always ostentatious, open to foreign
influences, experimental, very refined and stimulated;
the other, being more traditional, that of the Ponte
Vecchio workshops, made for everyday usage. While, liked
by everyone, was be perfected charm of roman silverware,
especially after the founding of the Accademia Medicea at
Palazzo Madama in 1673, where even Foggini and
Massimiliano Soldani Benzi carried out their training.
With the dying out of Medici dynasty, in 1759, one tried
to reorganise the profession, and guarantee the
silversmiths', jewellers' and goldsmiths' honesty even
reimposing the apposition of the trinumeral hallmark on
top quality goods: one of the creator, another of the
assayer, and the other of the art, in order to assure
that the products were silver and made with great care.
Pietro Leopoldo di Lorena, in 1770, eliminated the Arts,
and founded the Commercial Trade Centre for the Arts and
Manufactory, with the goal of liberalising the production
and commerce that had always been kept under control by
the protectionism of ancient corporations. The outcome
was grave due to the tragic economic state of the
Dukedom. The skill of the silversmiths however, kept
Florence at the height of fame in the world.
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