DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42861#0158
124
MANTEGNA PAINTS
Signory, who were indignant with the Duke of Milan
for concluding a separate peace with France, and who
already looked with suspicion on his brother-in-law.
But once the French army had crossed the Alps
they were not sorry to disband their army, and on the
1st of November the Marquis made his triumphal
entry into Mantua, where he was joyfully welcomed
by his wife and both his sisters, Chiara of Mont-
pensier and Elisabetta of Urbino, who came to spend
Christmas with her family. Great were the rejoicings
in honour of the victor’s return. Sperandio, that
aged artist who, after a long residence at the court of
the Estes, had lately returned to spend his last days
in his native city, designed a fine medal representing
Francesco on horseback at Fornovo, with the proud
inscription: Ob. Restitutam Italics Libertateml But
a grander and more imposing memorial of Francesco
Gonzaga’s victory had already been planned by his
wife and brother. In the thick of the melee at
Fornovo, the Marquis had implored the Blessed
Virgin’s help, and, after the battle, he resolved to com-
memorate his deliverance by some noble monument.
Then he remembered the poor Jew, Daniele Norsa,
whose house in the Via San Simone had been nearly
wrecked by the fanaticism of the mob at Ascension-
tide, and in a letter addressed to his brother Sigis-
mondo on the last day of July, he proposed that the
Jew should be made to restore the figure of Our
Lady which he had removed from the wall, in a
finer and more splendid form, as an act of reparation
to the glorious Mother. The idea was quickly taken
up by the Protonotary, who suggested that an altar-
piece of the Madonna should be painted by Andrea
1 Armand, Les Medailleurs italiens.
MANTEGNA PAINTS
Signory, who were indignant with the Duke of Milan
for concluding a separate peace with France, and who
already looked with suspicion on his brother-in-law.
But once the French army had crossed the Alps
they were not sorry to disband their army, and on the
1st of November the Marquis made his triumphal
entry into Mantua, where he was joyfully welcomed
by his wife and both his sisters, Chiara of Mont-
pensier and Elisabetta of Urbino, who came to spend
Christmas with her family. Great were the rejoicings
in honour of the victor’s return. Sperandio, that
aged artist who, after a long residence at the court of
the Estes, had lately returned to spend his last days
in his native city, designed a fine medal representing
Francesco on horseback at Fornovo, with the proud
inscription: Ob. Restitutam Italics Libertateml But
a grander and more imposing memorial of Francesco
Gonzaga’s victory had already been planned by his
wife and brother. In the thick of the melee at
Fornovo, the Marquis had implored the Blessed
Virgin’s help, and, after the battle, he resolved to com-
memorate his deliverance by some noble monument.
Then he remembered the poor Jew, Daniele Norsa,
whose house in the Via San Simone had been nearly
wrecked by the fanaticism of the mob at Ascension-
tide, and in a letter addressed to his brother Sigis-
mondo on the last day of July, he proposed that the
Jew should be made to restore the figure of Our
Lady which he had removed from the wall, in a
finer and more splendid form, as an act of reparation
to the glorious Mother. The idea was quickly taken
up by the Protonotary, who suggested that an altar-
piece of the Madonna should be painted by Andrea
1 Armand, Les Medailleurs italiens.