FRANCESCA da Rimini, daughter of Guido III. da Polenta, of a princely house of Ravenna, in the second half of the thirteenth century, which became subsequently famous through the hospitality it afforded to Dante. Francesca was barely sixteen when, in 1276, she was married to Giovanni, son of Malatesta da Verracchio, lord of Rimini, nicknamed lo Sciancato (the Lame). The marriage was brought about in order to put an end to the enmity which had till then existed between the two houses—some say against the inclination of Francesca. Thirteen years later the Malatesta, who had been driven out of Rimini by popular discontent, were sojourning at Pesaro, where Paolo, the brother of Giovanni—a handsome and accomplished knight—joined the rest of the family. A deep and mutual affection sprang up between Paolo and Francesca, which for a long time they strove to stifle. But, one day, while reading together the romance of Launcelot and Guinevere, the secret chord was touched through that legend, and under the spell of an impassioned avowal, they yielded to their love. A servant having betrayed them to Giovanni, he watched an opportunity, surprised them together, and in a blind fury killed them both! They were buried in the same tomb, and their mortal remains transferred to Rimini. This melancholy episode has been immortalized by Dante, who has represented the two lovers as eternally linked together by their fatal passion, amongst the shades of the nether world.—A. S., O.
FRANCESCHETTI, Cesare, born at Bastia in Corsica in 1776, took an active part in the Revolution, and acquired some reputation as a soldier. He accompanied Murat to Naples, was raised by him to the rank of his aid-de-camp, and subsequently to that of lieutenant-general. In this capacity he followed his master in the campaign against the Austrians in 1815, and distinguished himself by his bravery at the battle of Tolentino. When Murat planned the expedition which ended in his ruin, Franceschetti was one of the most active co-operators in the attempt, and landed with him at Pizzo. There, however, he succeeded in eluding the pursuit of his enemies, and took refuge in the mountains. But after some time, compelled by fatigue and destitution, he threw himself into the hands of the Neapolitans, and was tried by a court-martial. Fortunately for him there were among his judges men of lenient disposition, and who, knowing him personally, admired his gallantry and devotion to a lost cause. They made a favourable report of him to the king, who spared his life and sent him under custody to France. The French government released him, and he led from that time a private and retired life, first in Sicily, then in his native island, where he died in 1835. He left "Memoires sur les evenements qui ont précédé la mort de Joachim I. roi des Deux-Siciles," &c., and "Supplement aux memoires," &c.—A. S., O.
FRANCESCHINI, Baldassare, called il Volterrano, was born at Volterra in 1611, and studied painting under Matteo Rosselli and Giovanni di San Giovanni. Franceschini became a distinguished fresco painter, but belonged to the school of the machinists, or those who esteemed facility and quantity rather than quality, though he was one of the better of these. He executed also cabinet pictures in oil. He died in 1689. There are some frescoes by him in the Pitti palace; and he painted also the cupola of Santa Maria Maggiore at Florence.—(Baldinucci, Notizie dei Professori, &c.)—R. N. W.
FRANCESCHINI, Marcantonio, Cavaliere, a celebrated Italian fresco painter, was born at Bologna in 1648, and studied under Gio. Battista Galli Bibiena, and Carlo Cignani, whom he assisted, and in whose style he painted. He became the head of the Bolognese school of his time, and executed many works there, at Genoa, and at Vienna. But like nearly all the fresco-painters of the seventeenth century, he was a. machinist, his paintings being primarily mere works of decoration for the sake of a vague brilliant effect of colour; the subject of the picture was utterly subservient to its ornamental effect, and of course, all details were more indicated than expressed. Franceschini died in 1729. He painted in oil and tempera as well as fresco. There are many works by him still preserved in Bologna. In Vienna he painted the Lichtenstein gallery; at Genoa the grand council hall. He was a cavaliere of the papal order of Christo. His son, Jacopo (1672-1745), assisted him in his frescoes at Genoa, and executed some original works, but having inherited a fortune from his father, he ceased the practice of his profession, and took to literature and theology.—(Zanotti, Accademia Clementina di Bologna, &c.; Lanzi.)—R. N. W.
* FRANCHI, Ausonio, whose real name was Francesco Bonavino, born at Pegli, near Genoa, in 1820. He entered the church; but, finding confession and some of the dogmas of the catholic religion quite at variance with his philosophical opinions, he left at once the church, and assuming the name of Ausonio Franchi (free Italian), he followed in the steps of Campanello and Bruno. His writings met with a decided success; and Michelet and Mittermayer consider this philosopher the first logician and the best critic of the age, whilst his works have been highly praised by the English press. His best production is "La Filosofia delle Scuole Italiane." As a philosopher his general Italian grammar published in 1850, and his Latin grammar, rank him immediately after Cinonio, Maffei, and Corticelli, and his journal, La Ragione, edited by him, and now published at Turin, enjoys the greatest popularity.—A. C. M.
FRANCIA, Francesco: the family name of this great painter was Raibolini. His father, Marco di Giacomo Raibolini, was a carpenter; but he was called Francia after his master of that name, who was a goldsmith. Francesco was born at Bologna about 1450, and for many years practised purely as a goldsmith and die engraver, &c. About 1490 he took to painting, led to this art by the works of Marco Zoppo, or, according to some, by Lorenzo Costa, who, however, shortly became Francia's assistant. He evidently studied the works of Pietro Perugino. He seems to have been always proud of his versatility of power, for on his pictures he has sometimes signed himself—Aurifex; and on his jewellery—Pictor. Assuming that he commenced painting so late as about 1490, one of his earliest works is preserved in the gallery of the academy at Bologna: a Virgin and Child enthroned with Saints, signed—Opus Franciæ Aurificis, mcccclxxxx. It was painted for Bartolomeo Felicini, and was originally in the church of La Misericordia. It was about the year 1490 that he commenced some extensive works for the Bentivogli family. His taking up painting should perhaps be dated back to 1485. He is the greatest painter of the earlier school of Bologna, and was probably the most perfect in execution of all the quattorcento, or fifteenth century masters. His pictures are generally larger than those of Bellini and Perugino, and show a more advanced art perhaps in every respect, and certainly a far finer taste for form, and perhaps a superior understanding and appreciation of colour. He became exceedingly popular in Bologna, surpassing even Squarcione of Padua in the number of his scholars—he had in all about two hundred. Vasari relates that Francia died in consequence of finding himself so much surpassed by the young Raphael, with whom he had become acquainted in Bologna. Raphael had painted a St. Cecilia for Cardinal Pucci for the church of San Giovanni in Monte in Bologna, and had consigned it in 1516 to the care of Francia, in order that he might see it well placed in its destination, and repair any damage that might have happened, or even correct it, if he thought proper. As Francia died January 6th, 1518, not very long after the placing of this picture, it was ridiculously reported that he had died of chagrin on seeing himself so much surpassed by so young a painter. But Francia was very nearly seventy when he died, and no extraordinary circumstance is therefore required to account for the event. It is further questionable whether Raphael's St. Cecilia, now in the gallery at Bologna, is even so good in some respects as the best works of Francia, much less better; at all events the painter of such magnificent works as the Buonvisi altarpieces, now in our national gallery, had not the slightest ground for being jealous of the St. Cecilia. Francia was chiefly excellent as an oil-painter, but he painted also some frescoes. He was most successful also in portraits, a branch in which he seems to have been much employed latterly; but he is perhaps best known for his small pictures of the Virgin and Child, with the addition of an occasional saint, generally in half figures, rather less than life size. A very excellent specimen of this class of picture has been lately added to the national gallery from the Beauconsin collection. In the time of Francia there was a very celebrated type-cutter known as Francesco da Bologna, and Mr. Panizzi of the British museum has lately printed a small work in which he endeavours to show that this celebrated type-maker was our great painter. Francia had a son, Giacomo, who was also an able painter, and a close imitator of his father, but he was somewhat warmer in colour. Still the works of the father and son are sufficiently alike to be very often confounded; and as the works of Francesco are now
