Codice Stivini - Inventory of the possessions of Isabella d'Este Gonzaga

Codice Stivini - Inventory of the possessions of Isabella d'Este Gonzaga – Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte – Inv. b. 400 – Archivio di Stato di Mantova (Mantua, Italy)

Mantua (Italy) — 1542

From Michelangelo to Correggio: one of the richest collections in Europe by one of the greatest patrons of the Renaissance

  1. Isabella d’Este (1474–1539), the Renaissance’s greatest patroness of the arts, owned one of Europe's richest collections

  2. She owned masterpieces by Michelangelo, Mantegna, Giulio Romano, Corregio, Francia, and Perugino

  3. In 1542, Ordoardo Stivini inventoried of one of the most refined art collections of the 16th century

Codice Stivini - Inventory of the possessions of Isabella d'Este Gonzaga

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Description
Codice Stivini - Inventory of the possessions of Isabella d'Este Gonzaga

The Inventory of the possessions of Isabella d'Este Gonzaga was compiled in the year 1542 by Ordoardo Stivini, the court notary of the Gonzagas. The catalog lists the art collection of the Renaissance princess in the palace of Mantua. It was concerned with one of the highest-quality collections of the 16th century.

Codice Stivini - Inventory of the Possessions of Isabella d'Este Gonzaga

Isabella d’Este was one of the most important people in the culture and politics of the Italian Renaissance. She was seen as “la prima donna de mondo” by her contemporaries. She is considered to be the Renaissance’s most important patroness of the arts. The personal notary of the ruling house of Gonzaga completed an inventory of the numerous, precious possessions of Isabella ca. 1542. 236 works of art are listed therein, which belies the high-quality aesthetic taste of the great Renaissance lady. The inventory’s finely illustrated pages adorned with gold present the work in splendid glory.

The Great Lady of the Renaissance

Isabella d’Este was the daughter of Ercole I d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, and Leonora of Naples, the daughter of King Ferdinand I of Naples. She received an excellent education in Latin, music, dance, Greek and Roman history, and classical literature. Reportedly, Isabella was a very eloquent, intelligent, well-read, quick-witted, and spirited woman. She collected Roman sculptures with great passion and acted as the commissioner of modern sculptures in the antique style. Isabella is also rumored to have had a great longing for self-portraits. Hardly any other personality from her time was portrayed as often as she. She was even pointed to as a possible model for the famous portrait of the Mona Lisa by Leonardo de Vinci.

The Court Art of Mantua

Three years after the death of the Renaissance princess, the notary of the ruling house of Gonzaga, Odoardo Stivini was commissioned to make an inventory of the artworks stored in the palace of Mantua. Found among the 236 masterful artworks was jewelry, precious gemstones, antique coins and medallions, finely formed glass, and porcelain. Alongside these small works, large Greek and Roman sculptures were also found among the property of the princess. Masterful paintings by Michelangelo, Mantegna, von Giulio Romano, Corregio, Francia, and Perugino also belonged to her collection. This catalog contains probably the most valuable art collection of the Renaissance period. The splendid artworks are presented in a corresponding guise through the lavish book adornment of gold leaf and the high-quality vermillion script.

Codicology

Alternative Titles
Codice Stivini - Inventario delle gioie di Isabella d'Este
Codice Stivini - Besitzinventar von Isabella d'Este Gonzaga
Size / Format
48 pages / 24.0 × 17.0 cm
Origin
Italy
Date
1542
Language
Artist / School
Previous Owners
Gonzaga court in the Mantuan Ducal Palace

Available facsimile editions:
Codice Stivini - Inventory of the possessions of Isabella d'Este Gonzaga – Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte – Inv. b. 400 – Archivio di Stato di Mantova (Mantua, Italy)
Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte – Modena, 1995
Limited Edition: 600 copies
Facsimile Editions

#1 Codice Stivini - Inventario delle gioie di Isabella d'Este

Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte – Modena, 1995

Publisher: Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte – Modena, 1995
Limited Edition: 600 copies
Binding: Brown leather with gold embossing
Commentary: 1 volume (77 pages) by Roberta Iotti, Daniela Ferrari, Claudia Cieri Via, Leandro Ventura, and Clifford M. Brown
Language: Italian
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
Price Category: € (under 1,000€)
Edition available
Price: Log in here!
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