DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42861#0107
HER NEED OF MONEY
75
she was always ready to recognise good work and
to give the artist warm praise. Naturally, how-
ever, want of money often interfered with the
gratification of her wishes, and she was compelled
to return precious stones and finely carved gems
because, as she told the goldsmiths sorrowfully,
they were too dear. For the state of Mantua was
small and its revenues could not compare with those
of Milan or Ferrara. “Would to God!” Isabella
exclaimed when her brother-in-law^ Lodovico Sforza
displayed his treasures before her dazzled eyes —
“ Would to God that we who spend money so gladly
had half as much! ” As it was, she often spent
more than she could afford, and owed large sums
to Taddeo and Piero Albano, the Venetian bankers,
who generally advanced money both to the Mar-
chesa and her husband. Often too she was forced
to pledge her jewels and even her costly robes to
raise money for political objects, to help Francesco
in his wars or buy a cardinal’s hat for his brother.
The Mantuan agent Antonio Salimbeni wrote to
her from Venice in 1494, begging that she would
send him some money without delay, since he had all
the merchants in the city on his shoulders, and could
only give them good words, and hope that Her
Excellency would soon come to the rescue. But
Isabella was no spendthrift, and although she might
occasionally be led into extravagance, showed herself
to be as practical in the management of her fortune
as in everything else. When, in 1491, one of
her husband’s estates wras seized by the Venetian
merchant Pagano, Isabella hastened to redeem the.
land, paying down 2000 ducats and begging the Doge
to be her security for the rest. Pagano began by rais-
75
she was always ready to recognise good work and
to give the artist warm praise. Naturally, how-
ever, want of money often interfered with the
gratification of her wishes, and she was compelled
to return precious stones and finely carved gems
because, as she told the goldsmiths sorrowfully,
they were too dear. For the state of Mantua was
small and its revenues could not compare with those
of Milan or Ferrara. “Would to God!” Isabella
exclaimed when her brother-in-law^ Lodovico Sforza
displayed his treasures before her dazzled eyes —
“ Would to God that we who spend money so gladly
had half as much! ” As it was, she often spent
more than she could afford, and owed large sums
to Taddeo and Piero Albano, the Venetian bankers,
who generally advanced money both to the Mar-
chesa and her husband. Often too she was forced
to pledge her jewels and even her costly robes to
raise money for political objects, to help Francesco
in his wars or buy a cardinal’s hat for his brother.
The Mantuan agent Antonio Salimbeni wrote to
her from Venice in 1494, begging that she would
send him some money without delay, since he had all
the merchants in the city on his shoulders, and could
only give them good words, and hope that Her
Excellency would soon come to the rescue. But
Isabella was no spendthrift, and although she might
occasionally be led into extravagance, showed herself
to be as practical in the management of her fortune
as in everything else. When, in 1491, one of
her husband’s estates wras seized by the Venetian
merchant Pagano, Isabella hastened to redeem the.
land, paying down 2000 ducats and begging the Doge
to be her security for the rest. Pagano began by rais-