ROMANO, Gian Cristoforo

The delicate and quattrocentesque bust depicts the Renaissance princess from Ferrara, who was betrothed at five and married at fifteen as still a child. Presumedly she is portrayed during her betrothal, because the inscription terms her daughter of Ercole d’Este. She tried to compensate for an unsatisfactory marriage by transforming Milan into a cultural centre of great distinction but her influence, like her life, was transitory.

On the bust Romano acknowledges but restrains the fussy Lombard taste in the decorative detail of the costume and head-dress. Her intricate coiffure terminates in long a braid, neatly bound with ribbons, which falls down her back like a plumb line.

In 1490 Gian Cristoforo carved a portrait bust of Beatrice d’Este (Paris, Louvre), the daughter of Ercole I d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, for her betrothal to Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. The attribution of this bust derives from a letter of 12 June 1491 from Isabella d’Este, requesting that Ludovico send Gian Cristoforo, who had done Beatrice’s portrait, to Mantua to work for her. The bust is inscribed with the imprese of a sieve surrounded by a diamond ring. The sieve was a symbol of Ludovico, the diamond of Ercole; entwined they suggest marriage and the hope of fertility.

The inscription reads: “Divae Beatrici D. Herc. F.” (To the divine Beatrice, daughter of Duke Ercole”).

This bust is the sculpture most securely attributed to Gian Cristoforo and, with his medals, provides the basis for the assessment of his style.

On the bust Romano acknowledges but restrains the fussy Lombard taste in the decorative detail of the costume and head-dress. Her intricate coiffure terminates in long a braid, neatly bound with ribbons, which falls down her back like a plumb line.

After the completion of the Visconti tomb and the death of Beatrice d’Este, Gian Cristoforo left Milan for the court of Isabella d’Este in Mantua, arriving in September 1497. Several Mantuan works, including a marble doorframe for Isabella (between her second studiolo and her grotta) and a terracotta bust of her husband Francesco II, 4th Marchese of Mantua Gonzaga have been attributed to him.

The terracotta bust of the Marquis Francesco II Gonzaga is of unquestionable value and superb craftsmanship. The rich parade armour, illustrating his role as a prince and warlord, is adorned with lightly protruding or engraved patterns, showing a highly refined iconographic scheme. The crucible work is particularly noticeable on the chest, showing a band of molten rods immersed in the fire of a brazier. Below, an eagle with its wings outstretched holds a ring in its beak, perching on weapons and the spoils of war. The right shoulder strap shows a caduceus, the symbol of reason and peace, while on the left there is a warrior showing the temple of Janus, whose open doors allude to the historical context at the time - the war being waged against Charles VIII.

This work is regarded as a cornerstone of Mantuan sculpture from the late 15th century. In fact, the quality is so outstanding that some scholars have suggested that Mantegna himself may have worked on it.

Girolamo Andreasi was a nobleman in Mantua.

Portrait busts, inspired by ancient Roman examples, were popular in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Three busts (one in Venice, in Berlin, and in New York) of young boys of noble lineage by Gian Cristoforo Romano are among the few examples of portraits rather than simple generic images of children in Renaissance sculpture.

The bust of a boy about six years old in Berlin has suffered in terms of condition. It seems to have been placed outdoors, exposed to the weather, and has been subsequently repatinated in modern times. The nose has been entirely remade, altering the boy’s appearance and giving him a more adult aspect. Similarly to the Venice bust, the pendant ornament is now lost.

Portrait busts, inspired by ancient Roman examples, were popular in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Three busts (one in Venice, in Berlin, and in New York) of young boys of noble lineage by Gian Cristoforo Romano are among the few examples of portraits rather than simple generic images of children in Renaissance sculpture.

The bust of a boy about eight years old in New York wears a gold chain that makes two wide loops around his neck. Similarly to the other two boys, he wears an expensive jacket made from heavy cloth over a linen shirt that protrudes above the neckline. He has hair that reaches down to his shoulders.

Portrait busts, inspired by ancient Roman examples, were popular in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Three busts (one in Venice, in Berlin, and in New York) of young boys of noble lineage by Gian Cristoforo Romano are among the few examples of portraits rather than simple generic images of children in Renaissance sculpture.

The bust of a boy about four years old in Venice reflects the artist’s classical style. The delicate surface is perfectly smooth and the hair and the ornaments on the clothes of the child are finely rendered. It is well preserved, although the end of the nose is chipped and the pendant that originally hung across the chest is missing.

Caterina Cornaro, (1454-1510) was a Venetian noblewoman who became queen of Cyprus by marrying James II, king of Cyprus, Jerusalem, and Armenia, supplying him with a much-needed alliance with Venice. Her famous portrait was painted by Gentile Bellini.

The studiolo of Isabella d’Este in the Palazzo Ducale includes a splendid door inlaid with coloured marbles. The four tondi with figures carved in relief - their identification is still a matter of debate - include a female figure with military attributes, probably Minerva, a semi-nude figure with two books on her head and a skull beneath her foot, identified as an allegory of Fortune or perhaps the Muse Clio, while the other two figures, each equipped with a number of attributes, must be the Muses Euterpe and Erato.

The door of the studiolo of Isabella d’Este in the Palazzo Ducale four tondi with figures carved in relief. One of them shows a female figure with military attributes, identified as Minerva.

The door of the studiolo of Isabella d’Este in the Palazzo Ducale four tondi with figures carved in relief. One of them shows a a semi-nude figure with two books on her head and a skull beneath her foot, identified as an allegory of Fortune or perhaps the Muse Clio.

The Costa Chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo was furnished by Portuguese Cardinal Jorge da Costa who purchased it in 1488.

The dossal by Gian Cristoforo Romano was certainly built after 1503 because the inscription at the base calls the Cardinal the Bishop of Porto and Santa Rufina. The tripartite marble reredos is articulated by Corinthian pilasters and crowned by an elaborate pediment with the figure of God, the Father. There are three sculptures of saints in shell-headed niches: St Catherine of Alexandria in the middle (with the wheel), St Vincent (with the ship) and Anthony of Padua (with a lily). The latter two are the patrons of the city of Lisbon. Three tondos above them contain reliefs of the Annunciation (with a very fine landscape in the middle). The high pedestal is decorated with the coats-of-arms of Cardinal Costa.

The Costa Chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo was furnished by Portuguese Cardinal Jorge da Costa who purchased it in 1488.

The dossal by Gian Cristoforo Romano was certainly built after 1503 because the inscription at the base calls the Cardinal the Bishop of Porto and Santa Rufina. The tripartite marble reredos is articulated by Corinthian pilasters and crowned by an elaborate pediment with the figure of God, the Father. There are three sculptures of saints in shell-headed niches: St Catherine of Alexandria in the middle (with the wheel), St Vincent (with the ship) and Anthony of Padua (with a lily). The latter two are the patrons of the city of Lisbon. Three tondos above them contain reliefs of the Annunciation (with a very fine landscape in the middle). The high pedestal is decorated with the coats-of-arms of Cardinal Costa.

After the completion of the Visconti tomb and the death of Beatrice d’Este, Gian Cristoforo left Milan for the court of Isabella d’Este in Mantua, arriving in September 1497. Several Mantuan works, including a marble doorframe for Isabella (between her second studiolo and her grotta) and a terracotta bust of her husband Francesco II, 4th Marchese of Mantua Gonzaga (c. 1498; Palazzo Ducale, Mantua), have been attributed to him. Also from this period is the tomb of Pier Francesco Trecchi, which was designed for San Vincenzo, Cremona.

The two reliefs representing King Matthias of Hungary and his wife Beatrix (Beatrice) are probably the works of Gian Cristoforo Romano. They belonged to the famous - and later largely destroyed - art collection of King Matthias.

Beatrice of Aragon (1457-1508) was the daughter of the king of Naples Ferrante I of Aragon and Isabella of Chiaramonte. She received an exceptional education. Following various failed marriage negotiations, Ferrante successfully contracted Beatrice’s engagement to Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary (1443-1490) in 1474. On September 15, 1476, Beatrice was married by proxy to Corvinus and ceremonially crowned in the church of Incoronata, Naples. The official coronation took place in Sz�kesfeh�rv�r, Hungary, on December 12, 1476, with Corvinus’s blessing. The court historian Antonio Bonfiini recounted the pomp and spectacle of the extravagant banquets, jousting tournaments, and other festivities held in honour of the royal couple in the subsequent days.

Medals such as this one were commissioned by Renaissance rulers and others to be given as tokens of honour and respect. Isabella presented bronze versions of this medal to poets, and the text on the back reads “For Those Who Serve Her.”

Isabella d’Este (1474-1539) came to Mantua from Ferrara in 1490 as the wife of Marquis Francesco Gonzaga, a war captain who loved art but was even fonder of arms, dogs, and horses. She entered the city via five triumphal arches, in a wagon decorated by Ercole de’ Roberti, one of the best Ferrarese painters of the day. She settled into Castello di San Giorgio, where she had a private apartment only a few yards from the Camera degli Sposi. Her quarters contained the studiolo, a little studio, that would become one of her greatest sources of pride.

Isabella’s features on the obverse of the medal are close to the famous portrait drawing of her by Leonardo da Vinci, but she wears a simpler, close-fitting, square-necked dress that reflects the fashion of the late 1490s. The elegantly swirling hairstyle is distinctive and may have been inspired by hair arrangements on Roman coins.

On the reverse, a winged figure in classical dress holds a palm branch in her left hand and a short staff or wand in her right, and a serpent rises up in front of her. In the field above, a representation of Sagittarius may refer to Isabella’s horoscope.

Medals such as this one were commissioned by Renaissance rulers and others to be given as tokens of honour and respect. Isabella presented bronze versions of this medal to poets, and the text on the back reads “For Those Who Serve Her.”

Isabella d’Este (1474-1539) came to Mantua from Ferrara in 1490 as the wife of Marquis Francesco Gonzaga, a war captain who loved art but was even fonder of arms, dogs, and horses. She entered the city via five triumphal arches, in a wagon decorated by Ercole de’ Roberti, one of the best Ferrarese painters of the day. She settled into Castello di San Giorgio, where she had a private apartment only a few yards from the Camera degli Sposi. Her quarters contained the studiolo, a little studio, that would become one of her greatest sources of pride.

This rare terracotta portrait bust probably represents Isabella d’Este, Marchioness of Mantua. The most celebrated woman of her day, Isabella d’Este (1474-1539) cultivated one of the most illustrious courts in Renaissance Italy. She was a passionate patron who invited the most renowned artists in Italy to decorate her private quarters in the Ducal Palace.

The identity of the figure rests in part on its correspondence to Leonardo da Vinci’s famous drawing of Isabella d’Este in profile (Mus�e du Louvre, Paris). It also bears comparison with a portrait medal of Isabella by Gian Cristoforo Romano, one of the leading sculptors of his time and an accomplished courtier, singer, poet, and antiquarian, who advised Isabella. As early as 1491, she commissioned him to make a marble portrait bust of her, although no such work by him is known. Isabella was not as attractive as she would have liked, and often complained that her portraits were unflattering. In much Renaissance female portraiture, including that of Isabella, a faithful likeness was less desirable than an idealized beauty that represented the sitter’s virtue. If the Kimbell bust indeed represents Isabella, it does so in a highly flattering way, presenting an ideal, classicized “likeness” that would have pleased the most discriminating of patrons.

The bust was originally painted. As with almost all such terracottas, the colors were probably removed in the nineteenth century.

At the Certosa, Romano was employed during 1490s on the shrine of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, founder of the Certosa, inside the church. The Visconti monument is a covered structure, the upper part of which contains narrative reliefs of scenes from Gian Galeazzo Visconti’s victorious careeer. On the front of the tomb are two smoothly executed carvings showing Gian Galeazzo invested by his father with the military command and the election of Gian Galeazzo as Duke, and at one end is a large battle scene, remarkable for its lifelikeness and for its technical accomplishment.

The Costa Chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo was furnished by Portuguese Cardinal Jorge da Costa who purchased it in 1488. The dossal by Gian Cristoforo Romano is in the centre.