Francesco Francia (1450-1517?), Bolognese goldsmith and painter. According to Vasari 's Life of Francesco Francia he had been a successful goldsmith who did not
begin to paint until he was in his forties; his 'first work was a rather small picture' dated 1494, the Felicini Madonna, now in the Pinacoteca in Bologna ( Vasari, Le Vite, Testo III.583). To further his own version of art history, Vasari stresses both the beauty of Francia's work and the claim that he died of grief and melancholy, when he first saw a panel of St. Cecilia by Raphael because he felt it reduced his own work to insignificance ( Vasari, Le Vite, Testo III.591). The story is unsubstantiated but it reflects the change in taste which also led to Perugino leaving Florence.
Ruskin changed his mind about Francia, becoming more critical of his earlier enthusiasm which, he said, sounded more like Mrs. Jameson on Francia.