Leonardo Savioli (1917 -1982) & Flora Wiechmann (1917-2011) Biography
Leonardo Savioli, born in Florence on 30 March 1917, was a notable Italian architect and painter. In 1935 he began his studies at the faculty of architecture of the University of Florence, where he obtained a degree with the defense of a thesis carried out under the guidance of Giovanni Michelucci. Savioli immediately distinguished himself as one of the greatest exponents of the so-called "Tuscan school", demonstrating considerable talent and collaborating with important figures such as Giuseppe Giorgio Gori and Leonardo Ricci. Their fruitful collaboration culminated in the creation of one of the most significant masterpieces of Italian architecture after the Second World War: the flower market of Pescia, built in 1948. This project earned them first prize in the II Biennial of the Museum of Modern Art in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1953, thus testifying to the international recognition of his creative genius. Over the following years, Savioli intensified his commitment to the creation of buildings that are characterized by a profound interaction with the surrounding environment. In 1950, he married jewelry designer and painter Flora Wiechmann, an equally talented and creative figure. Together, they formed an artistic partnership that was successfully intertwined with their respective works. Leonardo Savioli died in Florence in 1982.
Flora Wiechmann Savioli, born in Florence on May 27, 1917, was a multifaceted Italian artist, engaged in painting, jewelry making, graphic art and writing. After finishing his studies at the teacher's school, he enrolled in the Faculty of Languages, but later decided to abandon it to move abroad. Returning to Florence in 1949, she met Leonardo Savioli, architect and artist, whom she married in 1950. This union constituted the foundation on which Flora Wiechmann's artistic work developed. In 1958, he began designing and creating jewelery using non-precious metals and particular manufacturing techniques, without the use of welding. The distinctive elements of these creations are the structure and composition; the materials used include silver, bronze, brass and common metals, intertwined with each other and combined with quartz and crystals in their natural state. Some of her jewels were purchased by Peggy Guggenheim. Towards the end of the 1960s he dedicated himself to painting and graphic art, creating stylized drawings, abstract paintings and artistic works that included the use of natural and artificial materials such as dried flowers, wood, stones, glass and paper. Over the years, he donated some of his works to museums and public institutions in Florence. After her husband's death in 1982, she decided to open their home and studio in front of the Certosa del Galluzzo to the interested public. In 2008 he donated the Studio, with all the works of art and books contained within it, to the Tuscany Region. Flora Wiechmann Savioli died in Florence on 13 April 2011.
