DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42861#0355
DEATH OF NICCOLO DA CORREGGIO 313
dei Prosperi to Isabella—“ most of all, because he
was so rare and excellent a man of letters.” Not
a word was said as to the murderer, but it was
generally known in Ferrara that Alfonso d’Este had
long been jealous of Barbara Torelli’s preference for
Ercole, and had secretly planned his destruction.
Before Strozzi’s death, the Marquis of Mantua had
promised to stand godfather to his new - born
daughter, and now sent the poet Tebaldeo to repre-
sent him at the christening.
Something of the same mystery overshadowed
the fate of Isabella’s brilliant kinsman, Niccolo da
Correggio, who died in January 1508, at Ferrara, away
from his own house—to the bitter grief of his wife,
Cassandra Colleoni. In her letter of condolence, Isa-
bella expressed her pity for this poor Madonna,
and alluded covertly to some love intrigues in
which her old friend had been unhappily entangled.
Only a year before, Alfonso had presented Niccolo
with a fine palace in the Via degli Angeli, which had
formerly belonged to his unhappy brother Giulio, in
recognition of his services in discovering that prince’s
plot against the Duke’s life. And in February 1507,
he wrote to the Marchesa in his old strain, telling her
how eagerly her coming was awaited at Ferrara, and
how busy he was preparing masquerades for her
amusement. The Duke, he added, was longing to
see his sister, and confidently expected her to spend
the next two months at his court. But soon after
this the old courtier incurred his lord’s displeasure,
and Bernardo dei Prosperi, in a letter informing
Isabella that Signor Niccolo was at the point of
death, ascribes his melancholy condition to grief at
his disgrace. “ His case,” adds Bernardo, “ has been
dei Prosperi to Isabella—“ most of all, because he
was so rare and excellent a man of letters.” Not
a word was said as to the murderer, but it was
generally known in Ferrara that Alfonso d’Este had
long been jealous of Barbara Torelli’s preference for
Ercole, and had secretly planned his destruction.
Before Strozzi’s death, the Marquis of Mantua had
promised to stand godfather to his new - born
daughter, and now sent the poet Tebaldeo to repre-
sent him at the christening.
Something of the same mystery overshadowed
the fate of Isabella’s brilliant kinsman, Niccolo da
Correggio, who died in January 1508, at Ferrara, away
from his own house—to the bitter grief of his wife,
Cassandra Colleoni. In her letter of condolence, Isa-
bella expressed her pity for this poor Madonna,
and alluded covertly to some love intrigues in
which her old friend had been unhappily entangled.
Only a year before, Alfonso had presented Niccolo
with a fine palace in the Via degli Angeli, which had
formerly belonged to his unhappy brother Giulio, in
recognition of his services in discovering that prince’s
plot against the Duke’s life. And in February 1507,
he wrote to the Marchesa in his old strain, telling her
how eagerly her coming was awaited at Ferrara, and
how busy he was preparing masquerades for her
amusement. The Duke, he added, was longing to
see his sister, and confidently expected her to spend
the next two months at his court. But soon after
this the old courtier incurred his lord’s displeasure,
and Bernardo dei Prosperi, in a letter informing
Isabella that Signor Niccolo was at the point of
death, ascribes his melancholy condition to grief at
his disgrace. “ His case,” adds Bernardo, “ has been