DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42861#0104
72
ORDERS FOR JEWELS
One day she must have a cross of diamonds and pearls
as a gift for her favourite maid-of-honour Brogna, the
next she sends to Genoa for a choice selection of
corals and turquoises. When she hears that her
father has a rosary of black amber beads and gold
and enamelled roses, she desires a Ferrara jeweller
to make her one like it without delay, and when
her sister Beatrice wears a jewelled belt brought
from France, made in imitation of a cor done di S,
Francesco, she writes to ask for the pattern in order
that she may copy it. The following letter to her
father’s agent, Ziliolo, who was starting on a journey
to France in April 1491, is a characteristic specimen
of the commissions which she gave her servants and
of her eagerness to see her wishes gratified.
“ I send you a hundred ducats,” she says, “ and
wish you to understand that you are not to return
the money if any of it is left, after buying the things
which I want, but are to spend it in buying some
gold chain or anything else that is new and elegant.
And if more is required, spend that too, for I had
rather be in your debt so long as you bring me the
latest novelties. But these are the kind of things
that I wish to have — engraved amethysts, rosaries
of black amber and gold, blue cloth for a camora,
black cloth for a mantle, such as shall be without
a rival in the world, even if it costs ten ducats a
yard ; as long as it is of real excellence, never mind !
If it is only as good as those which I see other
people wear, I had rather be without it! ” She
goes on to ask Ziliolo not to forget to bring back
some of the finest tela di Rensa— the linen made
at Rheims, which was in great request at Italian
courts, and ends by begging him to lose no chance
ORDERS FOR JEWELS
One day she must have a cross of diamonds and pearls
as a gift for her favourite maid-of-honour Brogna, the
next she sends to Genoa for a choice selection of
corals and turquoises. When she hears that her
father has a rosary of black amber beads and gold
and enamelled roses, she desires a Ferrara jeweller
to make her one like it without delay, and when
her sister Beatrice wears a jewelled belt brought
from France, made in imitation of a cor done di S,
Francesco, she writes to ask for the pattern in order
that she may copy it. The following letter to her
father’s agent, Ziliolo, who was starting on a journey
to France in April 1491, is a characteristic specimen
of the commissions which she gave her servants and
of her eagerness to see her wishes gratified.
“ I send you a hundred ducats,” she says, “ and
wish you to understand that you are not to return
the money if any of it is left, after buying the things
which I want, but are to spend it in buying some
gold chain or anything else that is new and elegant.
And if more is required, spend that too, for I had
rather be in your debt so long as you bring me the
latest novelties. But these are the kind of things
that I wish to have — engraved amethysts, rosaries
of black amber and gold, blue cloth for a camora,
black cloth for a mantle, such as shall be without
a rival in the world, even if it costs ten ducats a
yard ; as long as it is of real excellence, never mind !
If it is only as good as those which I see other
people wear, I had rather be without it! ” She
goes on to ask Ziliolo not to forget to bring back
some of the finest tela di Rensa— the linen made
at Rheims, which was in great request at Italian
courts, and ends by begging him to lose no chance