The façade of the church of Santi Michele e Gaetano in Florence remains a primary example of the work supervised by Pier Francesco Silvani between 1648 and the completion of his tenure. A central figure in the Baroque period, he maintained a career that balanced traditional Florentine Renaissance architectural standards with the evolving, innovative trends encouraged by the Tuscan institutional climate.
Early Career and Family Training
Born in Florence in 1620, Silvani was the son of Gherardo Silvani, a Sienese architect. He received his initial professional training within his father's office.
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In 1668, Silvani began work on the Oratory, now identified as the church of San Firenze. He utilized a design of giant pilasters both on the interior and the exterior façade, departing from the standard practice of superimposed orders. Later, in 1674, he partnered with Antonio Ferri to construct the dome and flooring for the choir of Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi. By 1678, he undertook the renovation of the presbytery of San Marco, replacing the existing 15th-century structure with an apsidal space defined by a triumphal arch.
Collaborations and Roman Influence
Silvani’s work frequently intersected with the artistic preferences of his patrons, notably during his contributions to the Palazzo Corsini. In 1680, he designed a spiral staircase for the building. His project drawings suggest an attempt to isolate the palace by modifying urban street layouts. His design for the Corsini family chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine (1675–1681) mirrored Roman precedents, specifically the Sistine and Paoline chapels, utilizing a centralized ground plan with altars featuring marble reliefs by Giovanni Battista Foggini.
Work in Pisa and Final Years
In 1682, Silvani managed the extension and restoration of the Church of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri in Pisa. The project involved a ring of connected buildings, including a sacristy and changing rooms, supported by low exterior wings. He worked alongside Giovanni Battista Foggini to design the high altar for this site. Silvani remained active until his death in 1685 in Pisa, maintaining a membership in the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno during the final years of his life.
Fast facts
- Born: 1620, Florence
- Died: 1685, Pisa
- Nationality: Italian
- Primary Field: Classical Architecture
- Noted Collaboration: Giovanni Battista Foggini
- Key Project: Santi Michele e Gaetano façade
- Key Project: San Firenze Oratory
- Key Project: Palazzo Corsini staircase
Questions readers ask
What stylistic shift did Silvani introduce at San Firenze?
He used a giant order of pilasters on both the interior and exterior surfaces instead of the traditional scheme of superimposed orders.
Did Silvani work exclusively in Florence?
No, he also worked in Pisa, where he designed the 1682 extension and restoration of the Church of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri.
