armies-Returns to Mantua-The French lose Naples- Comedies at Urbino, Mantua, and Ferrara-Death of Duke Ercole-Quarrels and plots of the Este brothers -Marriage of Francesco Maria della Rovere and Leonora Gonzaga-Sigismondo Gonzaga raised to the Cardinalate-Letters of Emilia Pia-Castiglione and Isabella's visit to Florence-Mario Equicola's treatise, Nec spe nec metu-Ravages of the plague at Mantua-Isa- bella retires to Sacchetta with her family-Francesco Gonzaga joins Pope Julius II. at Perugia-Conducts the papal army against Bologna - Flight of the Bentivogli-Entry of the Pope-Letters of Isabella— Frisio sends her antiques from Bologna - Birth of Isabella's son Ferrante-Visit of Ariosto to Mantua- Louis XII. invites Francesco Gonzaga to help him in the siege of Genoa-Visit of Isabella to Milan-Fêtes in the Castello-Isabella's correspondence with Elisabetta Gonzaga-Her intended journey to France-Death and funeral of the Duke of Urbino-Visit of Duke Francesco Maria to Mantua-Birth of Isabella's youngest daughter-Murder of Ercole Strozzi, and Isabella's relations with painters during the early years of the sixteenth century-Her letters to Leonardo da Vinci-Correspondence with Fra Pietro da Novellara, Angelo del Tovaglia, Manfredi, and Amadori-She asks Perugino for a painting for her studio-Descrip- tion of the Triumph of Chastity composed by Paride Isabella asks Giovanni Bellini for a picture-Her corre- spondence with Lorenzo da Pavia and Michele Vianello -The subject changed to a Nativity-Delays of the painter-Isabella calls in Alvise Marcello-Asks for her money to be returned-The picture is completed and sent to Mantua in 1504-Isabella's negotiations Mantegna's last works for Isabella d'Este - Illness and debts-He appeals to Isabella for help, and sells her his antique bust of Faustina-Calandra's description of his Comus-Death of Mantegna and tribute of Lorenzo da Pavia-Pictures in Andrea's workshop-The Comus finished by Lorenzo Costa Letters of Antonio Galeazzo Bentivoglio to Isabella - The Triumph of Poetry or Court of Isabella-Costa's portrait of the Marchesa-Francia paints the portrait of her son Federico and her own-Correspondence on the sub- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ISABELLA D'ESTE. From the Charcoal Drawing by LEONARDO DA VINCI, in the Louvre (Photogravure) LODOVICO GONZAGA AND HIS SONS By ANDREA MANTEGNA Frontispiece THE MADONNA DELLA VITTORIA, WITH THE Kneeling By ANDREA MANTEGNA, in the Louvre (Photogravure) From the Picture by ANDREA MANTEGNA, in the THE PORTRAIT MEDAL OF ISABELLA D'ESTE. By CRISTOFORO ROMANO, from the Impression set in Jewels, now in the Imperial Museum, Vienna (Photogravure) LA BEATA OSANNA By F. BONSIGNORI CASTELLO DI MANTOVA ISABELLA D'ESTE CHAPTER I 1474-1490 Birth of Isabella d'Este-Her betrothal to Francesco Gonzaga— Visit of the Mantuan envoy to Ferrara-Her letters to the Marquis Mantegna's Madonna-Elisabetta Gonzaga visits Ferrara-Personal charms of Isabella-Her education and teachers-Classical studies and love of music-Cultured tastes of her parents-Music and art at their court-Cosimo Tura and Ercole Roberti-Marriage of Isabella-Her reception at Mantua. "ON the 18th of May 1474 a daughter was born to Madonna Leonora and Duke Ercole, and she was given the name of Isabella, and baptized by the Bishop of Cyprus, the Venetian Ambassador in Ferrara." 1 So a contemporary Ferrara diarist, whose chronicle was published by Muratori, records the birth of Duke Ercole's elder daughter, Isabella d'Este. The event took place in the ancient palace on the Cathedral square which had been the home of the Este princes long before Bartolino da Novara reared the massive walls and crenellated towers of the Castello Rosso at the close of the fourteenth century. There Giotto and Petrarch had both been entertained as the guests of princes who, even in those early days, 1 Muratori, Italicarum Rerum Scriptores, vol. xxiv. p. 250. VOL. I. A 2 ERCOLE D'ESTE showed the love of art and letters that distinguished this illustrious race. There Pisanello and Piero della Francesca painted at the Court of Duke Ercole's elder brothers, Leonello and Borso, and the Venetian master, Jacopo Bellini, introduced the picturesque loggia of the old palace in the background of his drawing of the Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon. Duke Ercole added the grand marble staircase of the inner court, and the great hall where Ariosto's comedies were performed, which was burnt down just before the poet's death. Three passions, says Frizzi, the historian of Ferrara,1 ruled the Duke's heart, the love of building, of the theatre, and of travel. All three were inherited, in no small measure, by his daughter Isabella. But the execution of Ercole's favourite plans was hindered during the early part of his reign by frequent wars and political troubles. One night, when Isabella was only two years old, and her brother Alfonso was still an infant, the Duke's nephew, Niccolo d'Este, suddenly attacked the palace at the head of a band of armed conspirators, and Duchess Leonora and her three children had barely time to escape by the covered way into the Castello; and before she was eight the Venetian armies invaded her father's dominions, and planted the Lion of St. Mark in the park of his villa at Belfiore, while the Duke himself lay at the point of death in the Castello. All these dangers, however, were safely overcome by the valour and skilful diplomacy of the Duke, loyally supported by his brave wife and faithful subjects, and the treaty concluded at Bagnolo in 1484 was followed by a long period of peace and prosperity. 1 Storia di Ferrara, vol. iv. |