Francesco Scala
Francesco Scala was an Italian painter.
Life
Early life
Born in Adria into a peasant family, he initially worked as a farmer but still met count Pinamonte Bonacossi, a theatre designer in Ferrara, to whom his father was steward. From that, particularly his exposure to theatre scenery as part of the count's entourage, that instilled in him a passion for art and made him start painting. The count saw his talent and became his protector, bringing him into the studio of Francesco Ferrari, a great fresco painter who designed that theatre scenery..Francesco spent his youth in Ferrari's company, proving himself through paintings for theatre, churches and private houses. His life, however, was conditioned by the onset of an often gloomy mood, which led to such difficulties that he risked being expelled from the school and from Ferrara itself. This was averted by Ferrari's departure in 1680 for Ravenna, where he had a commission, and this gave Francesco the opportunity to change his surroundings.
Ravenna
In Ravenna, he met the Augustinian Father Cesare Pronti, who was renowned for his mastery of perspective. Since Pronti and Ferrari often collaborated, Francesco had the opportunity to compare their techniques and learn many new skills from Pronti, which completed his training. He also grew fond of Pronti both artistically and personally and - at the end of Ferrari's time in Ravenna - successfully sought permission to stay with Pronti.Pronti became his artistic mentor, and soon both student and teacher became close friends, based among other things on Scala's great mastery when accompanying Pronti on his business trips to Romagna. Francesco explicitly expressed told his master he never wanted to leave him and that he desired to remain in Ravenna forever.
This resolve was strengthened by marriage to a local girl, after which he considered starting his own studio. However, that marriage was extremely unhappy, as husband and wife were completely discordant in character. Things worsened to such an extent that Pronti notified Count Bonacossi, under whose protection Francesco was living in Ravenna. Upon learning of the situation, the count decided to intervene and temporarily separate the couple, under the pretext of recalling Francesco to Ferrara for some orders.
Return to Ferrara
Scala immediately made a name for himself after returning, winning several private commissions and especially working on the count's Palazzo Bonacossi and houses in the conutryside around Gaibanella and Monestirolo. Where he best showed his talent, however, was in painting theatre scenery, which his contemporaries described as "coloured so faithfully that they never seem fake, so closely do they resemble reality".In this period he also painted the frescoes in the church of the Dead, commissioned by the rich merchant Pietro Pacchieni. Although the available space was very limited, Scala was still able to expand it virtually through architectural motifs and plays on perspective. After completing that work, Scala was induced "more out of charity, than for reward" to work on the Scalced Augustinian church of Saints Giuseppe, Tecla and Rita. The main painting in that church is one by Catanio of an earthquake. Scala painted the side walls, depicting structural damage so well that they seem like real cracks caused by earthquakes. On the lower part of the fresco are painted the words "Domine terraemotum comprime"
In 1687 he and Maurelio Scannavini frescoed the ceiling of the monastic church of S. Guglielmo. In the meantime he was overcome by a wish to rejoin Pronti in Ravenna and to attempt reconciliation with his wife. The truce between him and his wife only lasted for days, however, and he struck her during an argument, almost killing her. Pronti intervened again, secretly helping Scala flee back to Ferrara, where he came back under the count's protection and resumed his work on theatre scenery.
Once this phase of work for the count was complete, marchese Onofrio commissioned him to paint the rooms on the upper floor of his Palazzo Massari, where Scannavini and Tommaso Aldobrandini were already working. Competing with these other painters improved Scala's own work, so much so that he later said that "up to that point I had played with the brush, not worked sensibly".
In the following years Scala painted a series of works which were later engraved on copper, such as The Garden of the Heliades, Mount Parnassus and The Dragon of Colchis. He designed the funerary carriage for cardinal Carlo Cerri, bishop of Ferrara in 1690, later engraved by Francia.
Last years
While produced large amounts of high quality work, Francesco continued to struggle with social life. The dark mood of his early years deepened, making him increasingly slovenly, shy, and silent. His misanthropy increased to the point that for days he would disappear from the sight of his collaborators and live on scaffolding, unbeknownst to anyone. The situation finally exploded when, in 1697, he was hired by Canon Giulio Cesare Grazzini to fresco a bedroom in his house on Via degli Angioli in Ferrara. The result was a pair of visibly disproportionate angels, which obviously did not meet the client's approval.Around the same time, Francesco's wife had come to Ferrara for another attempt at reconciliation, but this evidently unbalanced the painter, who refused any such thing, and he began to show signs of madness. The count forced the couple to live together again and Scala was struck by depression, then rage, which forced those close to him to keep him effectively under house arrest. Sedated, one night he was suddenly struck by what was described as "epilepsy", which left him paralyzed on the right side of his body and deprived of speech.
With his body wracked by convulsions and with no other means of expression than loud roars, the only solution was to admit him to the ward for the mentally ill at the Arcispedale Sant'Anna in Ferrara. In the final days of 1698, he experienced a brief respite from mental illness, which allowed him to be given the last rites. After this, he gradually faded, dying on December 21st of a stroke.
He was buried in the cemetery of S. Lucia Vecchia alla Fagianaia, with none of those who praised his art attending the funeral. The count was busy in Modena and also unable to attend, but did arrange for a Latin inscription to be placed on his tomb. This was never put in place but translated: