DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36839#0089
CHAPTER XXXII
1520
Court of Federico Gonzaga—The ' Calandria ' at Mantua—Isabella
Boschetti—Castiglione at Modena with Canossa — Death of
Raphael—Second mission to Rome—Alliance of Leo X. and
Charles V.—Negotiations carried on by Castiglione with the
Pope—Death of Ippolita—Grief of her husband.
THE chief event at the court of Mantua this winter
was the representation of Cardinal Bibbiena's
' Calandria/ under Castiglione's directions, at the
carnival. We have no details of the performance, and
only hear that the arrangements were excellent and
that the scenery excited general admiration.^ Fede-
rico plainly found M. Baldassare indispensable to him
both in business and pleasure, and was further dis-
posed to regard him with favour because of his
relationship to Count Francesco Gonzaga di Calvi-
sano, whose beautiful wife, Isabella Boschetti, had
captivated the young Marquiss adections.
Already the attention which he showed this fair
lady was exciting a good deal of notice at court,
and the Venetians talked openly of the Countess as
Federico's when he took her with him to
Venice and was present incognito at the Ascension
festivities.^ Castiglione, however, was not of the
1 D'Ancona, ' Origini del Teatro,' ii. 397.
2 Sanuto, xxviii. 529-
67
5—2
1520
Court of Federico Gonzaga—The ' Calandria ' at Mantua—Isabella
Boschetti—Castiglione at Modena with Canossa — Death of
Raphael—Second mission to Rome—Alliance of Leo X. and
Charles V.—Negotiations carried on by Castiglione with the
Pope—Death of Ippolita—Grief of her husband.
THE chief event at the court of Mantua this winter
was the representation of Cardinal Bibbiena's
' Calandria/ under Castiglione's directions, at the
carnival. We have no details of the performance, and
only hear that the arrangements were excellent and
that the scenery excited general admiration.^ Fede-
rico plainly found M. Baldassare indispensable to him
both in business and pleasure, and was further dis-
posed to regard him with favour because of his
relationship to Count Francesco Gonzaga di Calvi-
sano, whose beautiful wife, Isabella Boschetti, had
captivated the young Marquiss adections.
Already the attention which he showed this fair
lady was exciting a good deal of notice at court,
and the Venetians talked openly of the Countess as
Federico's when he took her with him to
Venice and was present incognito at the Ascension
festivities.^ Castiglione, however, was not of the
1 D'Ancona, ' Origini del Teatro,' ii. 397.
2 Sanuto, xxviii. 529-
67
5—2