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The Project Gutenberg eBook, Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino, Volume II (of 3), by James Dennistoun, Edited by Edward Hutton
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Title: Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino, Volume II (of 3)
Illustrating the Arms, Arts, and Literature of Italy, from 1440 To 1630.
Author: James Dennistoun
Editor: Edward Hutton
Release Date: November 21, 2013 [eBook #44235]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF THE DUKES OF URBINO, VOLUME II (OF 3)***
E-text prepared by Suzanne Lybarger, Linda Cantoni,
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(http://www.pgdp.net)
from page images generously made available by
Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries
(https://archive.org/details/toronto)
Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See https://archive.org/details/memoirsofdukeso02dennuoft
Project Gutenberg also has the other two volumes of this work.
Volume I: see http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42560/42560-h/42560-h.htm
Volume III: (including the index) see http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50577/50577-h/50577-h.htm
Transcriber’s Note
This work was originally published in 1851. As noted in the original, footnotes marked by an asterisk were added by the editor of the 1909 edition, from which this e-book was prepared.
Obvious printer errors have been corrected without note. Other errors are indicated by red dotted underlining. Hover the cursor over the underlined text to see a pop-up Transcriber's Note. These notes are also contained in a Transcriber's Errata List at the end of this e-book. Certain spelling inconsistencies have been made consistent; for example, variants of Michelangelo's last name have been changed to Buonarroti. Archaic spellings in English and Italian have been retained as they appear in the original.
Full-page illustrations have been moved so as not to break up the flow of the text.
CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS
MEMOIRS OF THE
DUKES OF URBINO
ILLUSTRATING THE ARMS, ARTS
& LITERATURE OF ITALY, 1440-1630
BY JAMES DENNISTOUN OF DENNISTOUN
A NEW EDITION WITH NOTES
BY EDWARD HUTTON
& OVER A HUNDRED ILLUSTRATIONS
IN THREE VOLUMES. VOLUME TWO
LONDON JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD
NEW YORK JOHN LANE COMPANY MCMIX
WILLIAM BRENDON AND SON, LTD., PRINTERS, PLYMOUTH
ELISABETTA DI MONTEFELTRO, DUCHESS OF URBINO
After the picture by Andrea Mantegna in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence
CONTENTS
PAGE List of Illustrations of Volume II. ix Chronological Table of Contents of Volume II. xiBOOK THIRD
(continued)
OF GUIDOBALDO DI MONTEFELTRO,
THIRD DUKE OF URBINO
CHAPTER XIX The massacre of Sinigaglia—Death of Alexander VI.—Narrow escape of Cesare Borgia 3 CHAPTER XX Duke Guidobaldo restored—The Election of Julius II.—The fall of Cesare Borgia—The Duke's fortunate position—Is made Knight of the Garter—The Pope visits Urbino 23 CHAPTER XXI The Court of Urbino, its manners and its stars 43 CHAPTER XXII Emilia Pia—The Cortegiano—Death of Duke Guidobaldo, succeeded by Francesco Maria della Rovere
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class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">72 BOOK FOURTH
CHAPTER XXIII The revival of letters in Italy—Influence of the princes—Classical tastes tending to pedantry and paganism—Greek philosophy and its effects—Influence of the Dukes of Urbino 93 CHAPTER XXIV Count Guidantonio a patron of learned men—Duke Federigo—The Assorditi Academy—Dedications to him—Prose writers of Urbino—Gentile Becci, Bishop of Arezzo—Francesco Venturini—Berni of Gubbio—Polydoro di Vergilio—Vespasiano Filippi—Castiglione—Bembo—Learned ladies 109 CHAPTER XXV Poetry under the Montefeltri—Sonnets—The Filelfi—Giovanni Sanzi—Porcellio Pandonio—Angelo Galli—Federigo Veterani—Urbani Urbinate—Antonio Rustico—Naldio—Improvisatori—Bernardo Accolti—Serafino d'Aquila—Agostino Staccoli—Early comedies—La Calandra—Corruption of morals—Social position of women 130 CHAPTER XXVI Mediæval art chiefly religious—Innovations of Naturalism, Classicism, and Paganism—Character and tendencies of Christian painting ill-understood in England—Influence of St. Francis 157 CHAPTER XXVII The Umbrian School of Painting, its scholars and influence—Fra Angelico da Fiesole—Gentile da Fabriano—Pietro Perugino—Artists at Urbino—Piero della Francesca—Fra Carnevale—Francesco di Giorgio 184 CHAPTER XXVIII Giovanni Sanzi of Urbino—His son, the immortal Raffaele—Early influences on his mind—Paints at Perugia, Città di Castello, Siena, and Florence—His visits to Urbino, and works there 216 CHAPTER XXIX Raffaele is called to Rome, and employed upon the Stanze—His frescoes there—His other works—Change in his manner—Compared with Michael Angelo—His death, character, and style 235 CHAPTER XXX Timoteo Viti—Bramante—Andrea Mantegna—Gian Bellini—Justus of Ghent—Medals of Urbino 254 BOOK FIFTH
CHAPTER XXXI Birth and elevation of Sixtus IV.—Genealogy of the della Rovere family—Nepotism of that pontiff—His improvements in Rome—His patronage of letters and arts—His brother Giovanni becomes Lord of Sinigaglia and Prefect of Rome—His beneficent sway—He pillages a papal envoy—Remarkable story of Zizim or Gem—Portrait of Giovanni—The early character and difficulties of Julius II.—Estimate of his pontificate 277 BOOK SIXTH
CHAPTER XXXII Youth of Duke Francesco Maria I.—The League of Cambray—His marriage—His first military service—The Cardinal of Pavia's treachery—Julius II. takes the field 313 CHAPTER XXXIII The Duke routed at Bologna from the Cardinal of Pavia's treason, whom he assassinates—He is prosecuted, but finally absolved and reconciled to the Pope—He reduces Bologna—Is invested with Pesaro—Death of Julius II.
BOOK FOURTH
OF LITERATURE AND ART UNDER THE
DUKES DI MONTEFELTRO AT URBINO
CHAPTER XXIII The revival of letters in Italy—Influence of the princes—Classical tastes tending to pedantry and paganism—Greek philosophy and its effects—Influence of the Dukes of Urbino 93 CHAPTER XXIV Count Guidantonio a patron of learned men—Duke Federigo—The Assorditi Academy—Dedications to him—Prose writers of Urbino—Gentile Becci, Bishop of Arezzo—Francesco Venturini—Berni of Gubbio—Polydoro di Vergilio—Vespasiano Filippi—Castiglione—Bembo—Learned ladies 109 CHAPTER XXV Poetry under the Montefeltri—Sonnets—The Filelfi—Giovanni Sanzi—Porcellio Pandonio—Angelo Galli—Federigo Veterani—Urbani Urbinate—Antonio Rustico—Naldio—Improvisatori—Bernardo Accolti—Serafino d'Aquila—Agostino Staccoli—Early comedies—La Calandra—Corruption of morals—Social position of women 130 CHAPTER XXVI Mediæval art chiefly religious—Innovations of Naturalism, Classicism, and Paganism—Character and tendencies of Christian painting ill-understood in England—Influence of St. Francis 157 CHAPTER XXVII The Umbrian School of Painting, its scholars and influence—Fra Angelico da Fiesole—Gentile da Fabriano—Pietro Perugino—Artists at Urbino—Piero della Francesca—Fra Carnevale—Francesco di Giorgio 184 CHAPTER XXVIII Giovanni Sanzi of Urbino—His son, the immortal Raffaele—Early influences on his mind—Paints at Perugia, Città di Castello, Siena, and Florence—His visits to Urbino, and works there 216 CHAPTER XXIX Raffaele is called to Rome, and employed upon the Stanze—His frescoes there—His other works—Change in his manner—Compared with Michael Angelo—His death, character, and style 235 CHAPTER XXX Timoteo Viti—Bramante—Andrea Mantegna—Gian Bellini—Justus of Ghent—Medals of Urbino 254 BOOK FIFTH
OF THE DELLA ROVERE FAMILY
CHAPTER XXXI Birth and elevation of Sixtus IV.—Genealogy of the della Rovere family—Nepotism of that pontiff—His improvements in Rome—His patronage of letters and arts—His brother Giovanni becomes Lord of Sinigaglia and Prefect of Rome—His beneficent sway—He pillages a papal envoy—Remarkable story of Zizim or Gem—Portrait of Giovanni—The early character and difficulties of Julius II.—Estimate of his pontificate 277 BOOK SIXTH
OF FRANCESCO MARIA DELLA ROVERE,
FOURTH DUKE OF URBINO
CHAPTER XXXII Youth of Duke Francesco Maria I.—The League of Cambray—His marriage—His first military service—The Cardinal of Pavia's treachery—Julius II. takes the field 313 CHAPTER XXXIII The Duke routed at Bologna from the Cardinal of Pavia's treason, whom he assassinates—He is prosecuted, but finally absolved and reconciled to the Pope—He reduces Bologna—Is invested with Pesaro—Death of Julius II.
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class="vabr">334 CHAPTER XXXIV Election of Leo X.—His ambitious projects—Birth of Prince Guidobaldo of Urbino—The Pontiff's designs upon that state, which he gives to his nephew—The Duke retires to Mantua 351 CHAPTER XXXV The Duke returns to his state—His struggle with the usurper—His victory at Montebartolo 372 CHAPTER XXXVI Continuation of the ruinous contest—The Duke finally abandons it—Death of Lorenzo de' Medici—Charles V. elected Emperor 391 CHAPTER XXXVII Death of Leo X.—Restoration of Francesco Maria—He enters the Venetian service—Louis XII. invades the Milanese—Death of Bayard—The Duke's honourable reception at Venice—Battle of Pavia 411 CHAPTER XXXVIII New league against Charles V.—The Duke's campaign in Lombardy—His quarrels with Guicciardini—Rome pillaged by the Colonna—The Constable Bourbon advances into Central Italy—The Duke quells an insurrection at Florence 433
APPENDICES
I. Portraits of Cesare Borgia 459 II. Duke Guidobaldo I. of Urbino, a Knight of the Garter 462 III. Giovanni Sanzi's MS. Chronicle of Federigo, Duke of Urbino 471 IV. Epitaph of Giovanni della Rovere 480 V. Remission and rehabilitation of Duke Francesco Maria I. in 1512-13 481 VI. Letter from Cardinal Wolsey to Lorenzo de' Medici 484 Genealogical Tables At end of bookILLUSTRATIONS
Elisabetta di Montefeltro, Duchess of Urbino. After the picture by Andrea Mantegna in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (Photo Alinari) Frontispiece FACING PAGE Il Castello di Sinigaglia. (Photo Alinari) 10 Pope Julius II. From the picture by Raphael in the Pitti Gallery, Florence. (Photo Anderson) 40 Portrait of a lady, her hair dressed in the manner of the fifteenth century. From the picture by ? Verrocchio in Poldo-Pezzoli Collection, Milan. (Photo Alinari) 44 A lady of the fifteenth century with jewels of the period. (Photo Alinari) 48 Count Baldassare Castiglione. From a picture in the Torlonia
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Gallery, Rome 50 Hair dressing in the fifteenth century. Detail from the fresco by Pisanello in S. Anastasia of Verona. (Photo Alinari) 54 Cardinal Bembo. From a drawing once in the possession of Cavaliere Agricola in Rome 62 Elisabetta Gonzaga, Duchess of Urbino. From a lead medal by Adriano Fiorentino in the British Museum. By the courtesy of G.F. Hill, Esq. 72 Emilia Pia. From a medal by Adriano Fiorentino in the Vienna Museum. By the courtesy of G.F. Hill, Esq. 72 Hair dressing in the sixteenth century. After a picture by Bissolo. (Photo Alinari) 76 Portrait of a lady in mourning. After the picture by Pordenone in the Dresden Gallery. (Photo R. Tammé) 84 S. Martin and S. Thomas with Guidobaldo, Duke of Urbino, and Bishop Arrivabeni. After the picture by Timoteo Viti in the Duomo of Urbino. (Photo Alinari) 88 Baldassare Castiglione. After the picture by Raphael in the Louvre. 120 Madonna del Belvedere. After the fresco by Ottaviano Nelli in S. Maria Nuova, Gubbio 190 Madonna del Soccorso. After the gonfalone by a pupil of Fiorenzo di Lorenzo in S. Francesco, Montone 196 Raphael, aged six years. From a picture once in the possession of James Dennistoun 216 Raphael. After the portrait by himself in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (Photo Anderson) 220 Madonna and child. After the picture by Giovanni Santi, in the Pinacoteca of Urbino. (Photo Alinari) 224 Ecce Homo. From the picture by Giovanni Santi in the Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. (Photo Alinari) 226 S. Sebastian. After the picture by Timoteo Viti in the Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. (Photo Alinari) 228 Margherita "La Fornarina." After the picture by Raphael called La Donna Velata in the Pitti Gallery, Florence. (Photo Alinari) 230 Margherita "La Fornarina." After the spoiled picture by Raphael in the Galleria Barberini in Rome. (Photo Anderson) 232 The Sposalizio. After the picture by Raphael, once in the Ducal Collection at Urbino, now in the Brera, Milan. (Photo Alinari) 240 Isabella of Aragon. After the picture by Raphael in the Louvre 246 St. Sebastian. From the picture by Timoteo Viti in the Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. (Photo Alinari) 254 Francesco Maria I. della Rovere. After the picture by Titian in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (From the Ducal Collection.) (Photo Alinari) 314 Venetian wedding-dress in the sixteenth century. After the picture called "La Flora" by Titian in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (Photo Anderson) 316 Detail of the Urbino Venus. Supposed portrait of Duchess Leonora, from the picture by Titian in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (Photo Anderson) 320 The girl in the fur-cloak. Possibly a portrait of Duchess Leonora of Urbino. After the picture by Titian in the Imperial Gallery, Vienna. (Photo Franz Hanfstaengl) 324 Duchess of Urbino, either Eleonora or Giulia Varana. After the picture by Titian in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. Painted ca. 1538. (Photo Brogi) 328 Leo X. After the picture by Raphael in the Pitti Gallery, Florence. (Photo Anderson)
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tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">352 Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici, Duke of Urbino. After the picture by Bronzino in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (Photo Alinari) 366
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE
CHAPTER XIX
A.D. PAGE 1502. Dec. Valentino marches against Sinigaglia 3 ” ” 28. Which surrenders 4 ” ” 31. Cesare massacres the confederate chiefs 4 1503. Jan. 2. His letter to the authorities at Perugia 6 ” Feb. 22. Cardinal Orsini poisoned at Rome 8 ” Jan. Machiavelli's indifference to the massacre 8 ” ” General extinction of moral feeling 10 ” ” 18. Further murders of the chiefs 11 ” ” Valentino in the Val di Chiana 11 ” ” Jealousy of Louis XII. 11 ” ” State of affairs at Urbino 12 ” June. Siege of San Leo 13 ” ” Relieved by a dexterous stroke 13 ” The Pontiff's wholesale poisonings 15 ” Aug. 18. To which he fell himself a victim 16 ” ” The various accounts of this examined 17 ” ” His character 19 ” ” Valentino's narrow escape from the same fate 19 ” ” His policy 20 ” ” Results of the Pope's death at Rome 21 ” Sep. 22. Election of Pius III. 22CHAPTER
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XX 1503. Aug. 22. Urbino resumes its allegiance 23 ” ” Guidobaldo returns from Venice 23 ” ” 28. And is welcomed enthusiastically 24 ” He joins the other princes in a defensive confederacy 24 ” The fortunes of Valentino rally 25 ” His wavering conduct 25 ” Election of Julius II. 27 ” Fatal to Valentino's prospects 27 ” Nov. Guidobaldo's difficult position 28 ” ” The Pope's negotiation with Borgia 29 1504. April. Who escapes to Naples 30 ” But is sent prisoner to Spain 30 1507. Mar. 10. His death 31 1503. Guidobaldo's fortunate position 31 ” Nov. 20. Summoned to Rome 32 ” ” His favour with the Pope 32 ” ” 15. The Duchess returns home from Venice 33 ” ” His interview with Valentino 33 ” ” Represented in a fresco 33 1504. He is named Gonfaloniere of the Church 34 ” And invested with the Garter of England 34 ” June 1. Returns home, accompanied by Count Castiglione 34 ” Feb. Strange pastimes there 34 ” His brief campaign 35 ” And happy residence at Urbino 35 ”
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class="vat"> His installation as generalissimo of the papal forces 36 ” Sep. His nephew, the young Prefect, invested as his heir-apparent 37 ” Claims of Venice upon Romagna 38 1505. Guidobaldo summoned to visit the Pope 38 1506. July. Returns home 39 ” Aug. 26. Julius sets out for Romagna 39 ” Sep. 25. His magnificent reception at Urbino 39 ” ” Tariff of provisions there 40 ” Reaches Bologna 41 ” His statue there, and its fate 42 1507. Mar. 3. Revisits Urbino on his return to Rome 42
CHAPTER XXI
1507. The cultivated tastes of the princes in Romagna 43 ” The Court of Urbino described by Count Castiglione, in his Cortegiano 44 ” The requisites of a lady of that court 45 ” State of female refinement and morals 46 ” Coarseness of language and wit 47 ” Poetical and social pastimes 49 ” Sketch of the prominent personages there 50 ” Count Baldassare Castiglione 51 ” He goes to England 52 ” His marriage, and conjugal affection 53 ” His portraits 53 ” His death and character 55 ” Giuliano de' Medici 56 ” Cesare Gonzaga 58 ” Ottaviano Fregoso
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class="vabr">58 ” Cardinal Federigo Fregoso 59 ” Bembo's letter on his death 61 ” Cardinal Bembo 62 ” His attachment to Lucrezia Borgia 63 ” His promotion under Leo X. 64 ” His lax morals 64 ” Bernardo Dovizii, Cardinal Bibbiena 65 ” His ingratitude and ambition 67 ” His beauty and worldly character 68 ” Bernardo Accolti, l'Unico Aretino 69 ” Count Ludovico Canossa 70 ” Alessandro Trivulzio 71
CHAPTER XXII
1507. The Duke's declining health 72 ” The court enlivened by female society 72 ” Emilia Pio, surnamed Pia 75 ” Her decorum and wit 76 ” Her management of the social resources of the palace 77 ” The origin of Castiglione's Cortegiano 78 ” Guidobaldo a martyr to gout 79 1506-1508. Extraordinary derangement of the seasons 79 1508. April. He is carried to Fossombrone 80 ” ” 11. His great sufferings and resigned end 80 ” ” The paganism of his biographers 81 ” ” Precautions of the Duchess against a revolution 82 ” ”
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class="vat">And of the Pontiff 83 ” ” His body taken to Urbino 84 ” ” 13. The Prefect Francesco Maria proclaimed Duke of Urbino 85 ” ” His visit to the Duchess 85 ” ” Funeral of Guidobaldo 85 ” May 2. His obsequies and funeral oration 85 ” His portraits 86 ” His accomplishments and excellent character 86 ” His patronage of Paolo Cortesio 87 ” Enduring influence of his reign 88 ” His widow 89
CHAPTER XXIII
1443-1508. The golden age of Italian letters and arts 93 ”” Rich in scholars but poor in genius 94 ”” Its prosaic tendency 94 ”” The revival of learning 95 ”” Promoted by the multiplicity of independent communities 97 ”” Especially by the petty sovereigns 98 ”” Adulatory tendency of such literature 99 ”” A narrow patriotism generated 100 ”” Taste for classical erudition, philology and grammar 101 ”” The study of Latin induced pedantry and languid conventionality 102 ”” The prosaic scholarism of this period 103 ”” Tending to pagan ideas 103 ”” The rival philosophies of Aristotle and Plato
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href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@44235@[email protected]#Page_105" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">105 ”” Leading to fierce quarrels 106 ”” Superseding Christian revelation 106 ”” And eventually shaking Catholic unity 107 ”” Influence of the Dukes of Urbino on letters 107 ”” Mediocrity of many authors of local fame 108