A Renaissance Tapestry: The Gonzaga of MantuaA sketch of the north Italian city of Mantua during the Renaissance by a superb author of travel books. Though small, Mantua played a crucial role in the tortuously complicated Renaissance politics. Focus is on the calculating Gonzaga family whose political astuteness, tangled network of marriage alliances, etc., kept it in power from 1329 to 1629. Simon interweaves condottiere, humanists, artists, and musicians, giving capsule biographies of famous figures. Despite some omissions in coverage, the text is splendid: Simon has an ear attuned to the apposite quote, an especially critical eye for the works of art that made the court of Mantua internationally famous. General readers and travelers will enjoy this book. Bennett D. Hill, St. Anselm's Abbey, Washington, D.C. --Library Journal. |
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Alberti Alfonso army artists beauty became Borgia brother cardinal Casale Castiglione celebrated century Cesare Cesare Borgia Charles Church condottiere court d'Este daughter death decorated died dowry dressed ducats duke duke of Mantua dukedom eager Eleonora Elisabetta emperor Ercole father Federico Ferdinando Carlo Ferrante Ferrara Florence forces France Francesco Francesco Gonzaga French Galeazzo Gianfrancesco gifts Giovanni girl Giulio Giulio Romano Goito gold Gonzaga Greek Guastalla Guglielmo honor horses husband Isabella Isabella d'Este Italian Italy king later Latin letters lived Luca Fancelli Ludovico Ludovico Gonzaga Ludovico Sforza Mantegna Mantua Margherita Maria Marmirolo marquis marriage married matter Medici Milan Monferrato mother Naples nobles painted painter palace Palazzo del Te papal Pisanello plague political Pope portrait prince promised Renaissance returned Roman Rome Savoy sent Sforza sister soldiers Spain Spanish spite theater took troops uncle Urbino Venetian Venice Vincenzo Vittorino wife women young