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Title: Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino, Volume 2 (of 3)
Author: James Dennistoun
Editor: Edward Hutton
Release date: November 21, 2013 [eBook #44235]
Most recently updated: October 23, 2024
Language: English
Credits: E-text prepared by Suzanne Lybarger, Linda Cantoni, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries (https://archive.org/details/toronto)
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF THE DUKES OF URBINO, VOLUME 2 (OF 3) ***
The Project Gutenberg eBook, Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino, Volume II (of 3), by James Dennistoun, Edited by Edward Hutton
| Note: |
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https://archive.org/details/memoirsofdukeso02dennuoft Project Gutenberg also has the other two volumes of this work. Volume I: see http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42560/42560-h/42560-h.htm Volume III: (including the index) see http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50577/50577-h/50577-h.htm |
Transcriber’s Note
This work was originally published in 1851. As noted in the original, footnotes marked by an asterisk were added by the editor of the 1909 edition, from which this e-book was prepared.
Obvious printer errors have been corrected without note. Other errors are indicated by red dotted underlining. Hover the cursor over the underlined text to see a pop-up Transcriber's Note. These notes are also contained in a Transcriber's Errata List at the end of this e-book. Certain spelling inconsistencies have been made consistent; for example, variants of Michelangelo's last name have been changed to Buonarroti. Archaic spellings in English and Italian have been retained as they appear in the original.
Full-page illustrations have been moved so as not to break up the flow of the text.
MEMOIRS OF THE
DUKES OF URBINO
ILLUSTRATING THE ARMS, ARTS
& LITERATURE OF ITALY, 1440-1630
BY JAMES DENNISTOUN OF DENNISTOUN
A NEW EDITION WITH NOTES
BY EDWARD HUTTON
& OVER A HUNDRED ILLUSTRATIONS
IN THREE VOLUMES. VOLUME TWO
LONDON JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD
NEW YORK JOHN LANE COMPANY MCMIX
WILLIAM BRENDON AND SON, LTD., PRINTERS, PLYMOUTH
ELISABETTA DI MONTEFELTRO, DUCHESS OF URBINO
After the picture by Andrea Mantegna in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence
CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
| List of Illustrations of Volume II. | ix |
| Chronological Table of Contents of Volume II. | xi |
BOOK THIRD
(continued)
OF GUIDOBALDO DI MONTEFELTRO,
THIRD DUKE OF URBINO
| CHAPTER XIX | |
| The massacre of Sinigaglia—Death of Alexander VI.—Narrow escape of Cesare Borgia | 3 |
| CHAPTER XX | |
| Duke Guidobaldo restored—The Election of Julius II.—The fall of Cesare Borgia—The Duke's fortunate position—Is made Knight of the Garter—The Pope visits Urbino | 23 |
| CHAPTER XXI | |
| The Court of Urbino, its manners and its stars | 43 |
| CHAPTER XXII | |
| Emilia Pia—The Cortegiano—Death of Duke Guidobaldo, succeeded by Francesco Maria della Rovere | 72 |
BOOK FOURTH
OF LITERATURE AND ART UNDER THE
DUKES DI MONTEFELTRO AT URBINO
| CHAPTER XXIII | |
| The revival of letters in Italy—Influence of the princes—Classical tastes tending to pedantry and paganism—Greek philosophy and its effects—Influence of the Dukes of Urbino | 93 |
| CHAPTER XXIV | |
| Count Guidantonio a patron of learned men—Duke Federigo—The Assorditi Academy—Dedications to him—Prose writers of Urbino—Gentile Becci, Bishop of Arezzo—Francesco Venturini—Berni of Gubbio—Polydoro di Vergilio—Vespasiano Filippi—Castiglione—Bembo—Learned ladies | 109 |
| CHAPTER XXV | |
| Poetry under the Montefeltri—Sonnets—The Filelfi—Giovanni Sanzi—Porcellio Pandonio—Angelo Galli—Federigo Veterani—Urbani Urbinate—Antonio Rustico—Naldio—Improvisatori—Bernardo Accolti—Serafino d'Aquila—Agostino Staccoli—Early comedies—La Calandra—Corruption of morals—Social position of women | 130 |
| CHAPTER XXVI | |
| Mediæval art chiefly religious—Innovations of Naturalism, Classicism, and Paganism—Character and tendencies of Christian painting ill-understood in England—Influence of St. Francis | 157 |
| CHAPTER XXVII | |
| The Umbrian School of Painting, its scholars and influence—Fra Angelico da Fiesole—Gentile da Fabriano—Pietro Perugino—Artists at Urbino—Piero della Francesca—Fra Carnevale—Francesco di Giorgio | 184 |
| CHAPTER XXVIII | |
| Giovanni Sanzi of Urbino—His son, the immortal Raffaele—Early influences on his mind—Paints at Perugia, Città di Castello, Siena, and Florence—His visits to Urbino, and works there | 216 |
| CHAPTER XXIX | |
| Raffaele is called to Rome, and employed upon the Stanze—His frescoes there—His other works—Change in his manner—Compared with Michael Angelo—His death, character, and style | 235 |
| CHAPTER XXX | |
| Timoteo Viti—Bramante—Andrea Mantegna—Gian Bellini—Justus of Ghent—Medals of Urbino | 254 |
BOOK FIFTH
OF THE DELLA ROVERE FAMILY
| CHAPTER XXXI | |
| Birth and elevation of Sixtus IV.—Genealogy of the della Rovere family—Nepotism of that pontiff—His improvements in Rome—His patronage of letters and arts—His brother Giovanni becomes Lord of Sinigaglia and Prefect of Rome—His beneficent sway—He pillages a papal envoy—Remarkable story of Zizim or Gem—Portrait of Giovanni—The early character and difficulties of Julius II.—Estimate of his pontificate | 277 |
BOOK SIXTH
OF FRANCESCO MARIA DELLA ROVERE,
FOURTH DUKE OF URBINO
| CHAPTER XXXII | |
| Youth of Duke Francesco Maria I.—The League of Cambray—His marriage—His first military service—The Cardinal of Pavia's treachery—Julius II. takes the field | 313 |
| CHAPTER XXXIII | |
| The Duke routed at Bologna from the Cardinal of Pavia's treason, whom he assassinates—He is prosecuted, but finally absolved and reconciled to the Pope—He reduces Bologna—Is invested with Pesaro—Death of Julius II. | 334 |
| CHAPTER XXXIV | |
| Election of Leo X.—His ambitious projects—Birth of Prince Guidobaldo of Urbino—The Pontiff's designs upon that state, which he gives to his nephew—The Duke retires to Mantua | 351 |
| CHAPTER XXXV | |
| The Duke returns to his state—His struggle with the usurper—His victory at Montebartolo | 372 |
| CHAPTER XXXVI | |
| Continuation of the ruinous contest—The Duke finally abandons it—Death of Lorenzo de' Medici—Charles V. elected Emperor | 391 |
| CHAPTER XXXVII | |
| Death of Leo X.—Restoration of Francesco Maria—He enters the Venetian service—Louis XII. invades the Milanese—Death of Bayard—The Duke's honourable reception at Venice—Battle of Pavia | 411 |
| CHAPTER XXXVIII | |
| New league against Charles V.—The Duke's campaign in Lombardy—His quarrels with Guicciardini—Rome pillaged by the Colonna—The Constable Bourbon advances into Central Italy—The Duke quells an insurrection at Florence | 433 |
APPENDICES
| I. Portraits of Cesare Borgia | 459 |
| II. Duke Guidobaldo I. of Urbino, a Knight of the Garter | 462 |
| III. Giovanni Sanzi's MS. Chronicle of Federigo, Duke of Urbino | 471 |
| IV. Epitaph of Giovanni della Rovere | 480 |
| V. Remission and rehabilitation of Duke Francesco Maria I. in 1512-13 | 481 |
| VI. Letter from Cardinal Wolsey to Lorenzo de' Medici | 484 |
| Genealogical Tables | At end of book |
ILLUSTRATIONS
| Elisabetta di Montefeltro, Duchess of Urbino. After the picture by Andrea Mantegna in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (Photo Alinari) | Frontispiece |
| FACING PAGE | |
| Il Castello di Sinigaglia. (Photo Alinari) | 10 |
| Pope Julius II. From the picture by Raphael in the Pitti Gallery, Florence. (Photo Anderson) | 40 |
| Portrait of a lady, her hair dressed in the manner of the fifteenth century. From the picture by ? Verrocchio in Poldo-Pezzoli Collection, Milan. (Photo Alinari) | 44 |
| A lady of the fifteenth century with jewels of the period. (Photo Alinari) | 48 |
| Count Baldassare Castiglione. From a picture in the Torlonia Gallery, Rome | 50 |
| Hair dressing in the fifteenth century. Detail from the fresco by Pisanello in S. Anastasia of Verona. (Photo Alinari) | 54 |
| Cardinal Bembo. From a drawing once in the possession of Cavaliere Agricola in Rome | 62 |
| Elisabetta Gonzaga, Duchess of Urbino. From a lead medal by Adriano Fiorentino in the British Museum. By the courtesy of G.F. Hill, Esq. | 72 |
| Emilia Pia. From a medal by Adriano Fiorentino in the Vienna Museum. By the courtesy of G.F. Hill, Esq. | 72 |
| Hair dressing in the sixteenth century. After a picture by Bissolo. (Photo Alinari) | 76 |
| Portrait of a lady in mourning. After the picture by Pordenone in the Dresden Gallery. (Photo R. Tammé) | 84 |
| S. Martin and S. Thomas with Guidobaldo, Duke of Urbino, and Bishop Arrivabeni. After the picture by Timoteo Viti in the Duomo of Urbino. (Photo Alinari) | 88 |
| Baldassare Castiglione. After the picture by Raphael in the Louvre. | 120 |
| Madonna del Belvedere. After the fresco by Ottaviano Nelli in S. Maria Nuova, Gubbio | 190 |
| Madonna del Soccorso. After the gonfalone by a pupil of Fiorenzo di Lorenzo in S. Francesco, Montone | 196 |
| Raphael, aged six years. From a picture once in the possession of James Dennistoun | 216 |
| Raphael. After the portrait by himself in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (Photo Anderson) | 220 |
| Madonna and child. After the picture by Giovanni Santi, in the Pinacoteca of Urbino. (Photo Alinari) | 224 |
| Ecce Homo. From the picture by Giovanni Santi in the Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. (Photo Alinari) | 226 |
| S. Sebastian. After the picture by Timoteo Viti in the Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. (Photo Alinari) | 228 |
| Margherita "La Fornarina." After the picture by Raphael called La Donna Velata in the Pitti Gallery, Florence. (Photo Alinari) | 230 |
| Margherita "La Fornarina." After the spoiled picture by Raphael in the Galleria Barberini in Rome. (Photo Anderson) | 232 |
| The Sposalizio. After the picture by Raphael, once in the Ducal Collection at Urbino, now in the Brera, Milan. (Photo Alinari) | 240 |
| Isabella of Aragon. After the picture by Raphael in the Louvre | 246 |
| St. Sebastian. From the picture by Timoteo Viti in the Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. (Photo Alinari) | 254 |
| Francesco Maria I. della Rovere. After the picture by Titian in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (From the Ducal Collection.) (Photo Alinari) | 314 |
| Venetian wedding-dress in the sixteenth century. After the picture called "La Flora" by Titian in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (Photo Anderson) | 316 |
| Detail of the Urbino Venus. Supposed portrait of Duchess Leonora, from the picture by Titian in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (Photo Anderson) | 320 |
| The girl in the fur-cloak. Possibly a portrait of Duchess Leonora of Urbino. After the picture by Titian in the Imperial Gallery, Vienna. (Photo Franz Hanfstaengl) | 324 |
| Duchess of Urbino, either Eleonora or Giulia Varana. After the picture by Titian in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. Painted ca. 1538. (Photo Brogi) | 328 |
| Leo X. After the picture by Raphael in the Pitti Gallery, Florence. (Photo Anderson) | 352 |
| Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici, Duke of Urbino. After the picture by Bronzino in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (Photo Alinari) | 366 |
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE
CHAPTER XIX
| A.D. | PAGE | ||
| 1502. | Dec. | Valentino marches against Sinigaglia | 3 |
| ” | ” 28. | Which surrenders | 4 |
| ” | ” 31. | Cesare massacres the confederate chiefs | 4 |
| 1503. | Jan. 2. | His letter to the authorities at Perugia | 6 |
| ” | Feb. 22. | Cardinal Orsini poisoned at Rome | 8 |
| ” | Jan. | Machiavelli's indifference to the massacre | 8 |
| ” | ” | General extinction of moral feeling | 10 |
| ” | ” 18. | Further murders of the chiefs | 11 |
| ” | ” | Valentino in the Val di Chiana | 11 |
| ” | ” | Jealousy of Louis XII. | 11 |
| ” | ” | State of affairs at Urbino | 12 |
| ” | June. | Siege of San Leo | 13 |
| ” | ” | Relieved by a dexterous stroke | 13 |
| ” | The Pontiff's wholesale poisonings | 15 | |
| ” | Aug. 18. | To which he fell himself a victim | 16 |
| ” | ” | The various accounts of this examined | 17 |
| ” | ” | His character | 19 |
| ” | ” | Valentino's narrow escape from the same fate | 19 |
| ” | ” | His policy | 20 |
| ” | ” | Results of the Pope's death at Rome | 21 |
| ” | Sep. 22. | Election of Pius III. | 22 |
CHAPTER XX
| 1503. | Aug. 22. | Urbino resumes its allegiance | 23 |
| ” | ” | Guidobaldo returns from Venice | 23 |
| ” | ” 28. | And is welcomed enthusiastically | 24 |
| ” | He joins the other princes in a defensive confederacy | 24 | |
| ” | The fortunes of Valentino rally | 25 | |
| ” | His wavering conduct | 25 | |
| ” | Election of Julius II. | 27 | |
| ” | Fatal to Valentino's prospects | 27 | |
| ” | Nov. | Guidobaldo's difficult position | 28 |
| ” | ” | The Pope's negotiation with Borgia | 29 |
| 1504. | April. | Who escapes to Naples | 30 |
| ” | But is sent prisoner to Spain | 30 | |
| 1507. | Mar. 10. | His death | 31 |
| 1503. | Guidobaldo's fortunate position | 31 | |
| ” | Nov. 20. | Summoned to Rome | 32 |
| ” | ” | His favour with the Pope | 32 |
| ” | ” 15. | The Duchess returns home from Venice | 33 |
| ” | ” | His interview with Valentino | 33 |
| ” | ” | Represented in a fresco | 33 |
| 1504. | He is named Gonfaloniere of the Church | 34 | |
| ” | And invested with the Garter of England | 34 | |
| ” | June 1. | Returns home, accompanied by Count Castiglione | 34 |
| ” | Feb. | Strange pastimes there | 34 |
| ” | His brief campaign | 35 | |
| ” | And happy residence at Urbino | 35 | |
| ” | His installation as generalissimo of the papal forces | 36 | |
| ” | Sep. | His nephew, the young Prefect, invested as his heir-apparent | 37 |
| ” | Claims of Venice upon Romagna | 38 | |
| 1505. | Guidobaldo summoned to visit the Pope | 38 | |
| 1506. | July. | Returns home | 39 |
| ” | Aug. 26. | Julius sets out for Romagna | 39 |
| ” | Sep. 25. | His magnificent reception at Urbino | 39 |
| ” | ” | Tariff of provisions there | 40 |
| ” | Reaches Bologna | 41 | |
| ” | His statue there, and its fate | 42 | |
| 1507. | Mar. 3. | Revisits Urbino on his return to Rome | 42 |
CHAPTER XXI
| 1507. | The cultivated tastes of the princes in Romagna | 43 | |
| ” | The Court of Urbino described by Count Castiglione, in his Cortegiano | 44 | |
| ” | The requisites of a lady of that court | 45 | |
| ” | State of female refinement and morals | 46 | |
| ” | Coarseness of language and wit | 47 | |
| ” | Poetical and social pastimes | 49 | |
| ” | Sketch of the prominent personages there | 50 | |
| ” | Count Baldassare Castiglione | 51 | |
| ” | He goes to England | 52 | |
| ” | His marriage, and conjugal affection | 53 | |
| ” | His portraits | 53 | |
| ” | His death and character | 55 | |
| ” | Giuliano de' Medici | 56 | |
| ” | Cesare Gonzaga | 58 | |
| ” | Ottaviano Fregoso | 58 | |
| ” | Cardinal Federigo Fregoso | 59 | |
| ” | Bembo's letter on his death | 61 | |
| ” | Cardinal Bembo | 62 | |
| ” | His attachment to Lucrezia Borgia | 63 | |
| ” | His promotion under Leo X. | 64 | |
| ” | His lax morals | 64 | |
| ” | Bernardo Dovizii, Cardinal Bibbiena | 65 | |
| ” | His ingratitude and ambition | 67 | |
| ” | His beauty and worldly character | 68 | |
| ” | Bernardo Accolti, l'Unico Aretino | 69 | |
| ” | Count Ludovico Canossa | 70 | |
| ” | Alessandro Trivulzio | 71 |
CHAPTER XXII
| 1507. | The Duke's declining health | 72 | |
| ” | The court enlivened by female society | 72 | |
| ” | Emilia Pio, surnamed Pia | 75 | |
| ” | Her decorum and wit | 76 | |
| ” | Her management of the social resources of the palace | 77 | |
| ” | The origin of Castiglione's Cortegiano | 78 | |
| ” | Guidobaldo a martyr to gout | 79 | |
| 1506-1508. | Extraordinary derangement of the seasons | 79 | |
| 1508. | April. | He is carried to Fossombrone | 80 |
| ” | ” 11. | His great sufferings and resigned end | 80 |
| ” | ” | The paganism of his biographers | 81 |
| ” | ” | Precautions of the Duchess against a revolution | 82 |
| ” | ” | And of the Pontiff | 83 |
| ” | ” | His body taken to Urbino | 84 |
| ” | ” 13. | The Prefect Francesco Maria proclaimed Duke of Urbino | 85 |
| ” | ” | His visit to the Duchess | 85 |
| ” | ” | Funeral of Guidobaldo | 85 |
| ” | May 2. | His obsequies and funeral oration | 85 |
| ” | His portraits | 86 | |
| ” | His accomplishments and excellent character | 86 | |
| ” | His patronage of Paolo Cortesio | 87 | |
| ” | Enduring influence of his reign | 88 | |
| ” | His widow | 89 |
CHAPTER XXIII
| 1443-1508. | The golden age of Italian letters and arts | 93 | |
| ”” | Rich in scholars but poor in genius | 94 | |
| ”” | Its prosaic tendency | 94 | |
| ”” | The revival of learning | 95 | |
| ”” | Promoted by the multiplicity of independent communities | 97 | |
| ”” | Especially by the petty sovereigns | 98 | |
| ”” | Adulatory tendency of such literature | 99 | |
| ”” | A narrow patriotism generated | 100 | |
| ”” | Taste for classical erudition, philology and grammar | 101 | |
| ”” | The study of Latin induced pedantry and languid conventionality | 102 | |
| ”” | The prosaic scholarism of this period | 103 | |
| ”” | Tending to pagan ideas | 103 | |
| ”” | The rival philosophies of Aristotle and Plato | 105 | |
| ”” | Leading to fierce quarrels | 106 | |
| ”” | Superseding Christian revelation | 106 | |
| ”” | And eventually shaking Catholic unity | 107 | |
| ”” | Influence of the Dukes of Urbino on letters | 107 | |
| ”” | Mediocrity of many authors of local fame | 108 |
CHAPTER XXIV
| 1412-1441. | Letters of Count Guidantonio in favour of various learned men | 109 | |
| 1444-1482. | Duke Federigo's love for literary converse | 111 | |
| ”” | The academies | 112 | |
| ”” | Fulsome dedications | 112 | |
| 1473. | Gentile de' Becci | 113 | |
| 1480. | Ludovico Odasio | 114 | |
| Francesco Venturini | 114 | ||
| Guarniero Berni of Gubbio | 115 | ||
| 1470-1555. | Polydoro di Vergilio | 115 | |
| ”” | His preferments in England | 115 | |
| ”” | His English history | 117 | |
| Vespasiano Filippi | 118 | ||
| 1478-1529. | Count Baldassare Castiglione | 119 | |
| ”” | His Cortegiano | 119 | |
| ”” | Compared with Machiavelli's Principe | 120 | |
| ”” | His letter to Henry VIII. regarding Duke Guidobaldo | 121 | |
| ”” | His poetry | 121 | |
| 1528. | His letter to his children | 122 | |
| 1470-1547. | Cardinal Bembo | 123 | |
| ”” | His pedantry and affected imitation of Cicero | 123 | |
| ”” | His history of Venice | 124 | |
| ”” | His Essay on Duke Guidobaldo | 124 | |
| ”” | His other works | 125 | |
| Learned ladies | 128 |
CHAPTER XXV
| 1443-1508. | Poetry under the Montefeltrian Dukes | 130 | |
| ”” | Defects of the sonnet | 131 | |
| Francesco Filelfo | 131 | ||
| 1480. | Gian Maria Filelfo, his son | 132 | |
| His Martiados in praise of Duke Federigo | 132 | ||
| His minor poems | 133 | ||
| Specimen of the dedication | 134 | ||
| His sonnet to Gentile Bellini the painter | 135 | ||
| His life of Duke Federigo | 136 | ||
| Pandonio of Naples | 136 | ||
| His Feltria on Duke Federigo's campaigns | 137 | ||
| Specimen of it | 137 | ||
| Giovanni Sanzi of Urbino, father of Raffaele Sanzio | 138 | ||
| His metrical chronicle of Duke Federigo | 138 | ||
| Various specimens of it translated | 140 | ||
| 1428-1457. | Angelo Galli from Urbino | 143 | |
| Specimen of his poetry | 143 | ||
| Federigo Veterani, his beautiful transcripts | 144 | ||
| His tribute in verse to Duke Federigo | 145 | ||
| Urbani of Urbino | 146 | ||
| Antonio Rustico of Florence | 146 | ||
| Naldio of Florence | 146 | ||
| Bernardo Accolti of Arezzo | 146 | ||
| His improvisation | 146 | ||
| Serafino di Aquila | 147 | ||
| Agostino Staccoli of Urbino | 147 | ||
| Early Italian comedies | 147 | ||
| La Calandra of Bibbiena | 147 | ||
| 1513. | Its performance at Urbino | 148 | |
| Description of the scenery and accompanying interludes | 148 | ||
| Origin of the ballet | 152 | ||
| Nature of the plot in La Calandra | 152 | ||
| Low standard of morals at that time | 153 | ||
| Obscene jest books | 154 |