Art Historian Eleanor Walker joins us this episode to discuss the life and patronage of Isabella d'Este, Marchioness of Mantua. Isabella perfectly bridges the northern courts of Este Ferrara and Gonzaga Mantua, serving as the pivotal figure who united the two courts.Eleanor Walker introduces us to the life and vibrant personality of this Renaissance giant, looking at the scope and limitations of women in power in the northern courts. Then we turn to her patronage, diving deep into her portrait by Titian and a copy of another Titian portrait of Isabella by the Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens. Works Discussed: Titian, Isabella in Black, ca. 1536 https://www.khm.at/kunstwerke/isabella-d-este-markgraefin-von-mantua-1474-1539-1940Peter Paul Rubes, Isabella in Red (copied after Titian), ca. 1605 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_in_Red_(Rubens)Support/Watch/Follow: https://linktr.ee/italian_renaissance_podcastJennifer Samit and Eleanor Walker, Women Artists in Their own Words: https://www.merrellpublishers.com/9781858947235Jill Burke, How to Be a Renaissance Woman, https://www.amazon.it/How-Renaissance-Woman-Jill-Burke/dp/1788166663/ref=asc_df_1788166663?mcid=84574746f829322698bfc93eb94e80af&tag=googshopit-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=700814440216&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11473624181355666976&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9199215&hvtargid=pla-1888711395289&psc=1&hvocijid=11473624181355666976-1788166663-&hvexpln=0Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show
--------
28:01
--------
28:01
Ep. 64: The Camera Picta - Andrea Mantegna in the Gonzaga Court
This episode looks at how the Gonzaga family of Mantua shaped their political image through art patronage. Ludovico Gonzaga, eager to raise his court’s prestige, brought the painter Andrea Mantegna to Mantua in 1460. Under Gonzaga patronage, Mantegna transformed court painting with his mastery of perspective and classical form. Their collaboration produced the fresco cycle in the Camera degli Sposi, a landmark of Renaissance art that blended dynastic portraiture with political messaging. Together, they turned Mantua into one of the most influential artistic centers of fifteenth-century Italy. Works discussed: Andrea Mantegna, Camera degli sposi / Camera picta, 1465-1475, Mantua.https://www.wga.hu/html_m/m/mantegna/07/index.htmlWatch/Follow/Support: https://linktr.ee/italian_renaissance_podcastGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show
--------
28:23
--------
28:23
Ep. 63: Cintho's Desdemona, feat. Michael Curtotti
Join me and writer/translator Michael Curtotti on a discussion about the literary patronage of the Este court. Centered around Micheal's new translation of the playwright and novella author Cinzio, our discuss dives deep into the cultural moment of Duke Ercole d’Este’s Ferrara. Michael walks us through the history of Cinzio and his work, both in theater and prose. Further, Michael leads us through his translation of the short story that would eventually influence Shakespeare's Othello, primarily investigatin notions of Renaissance misogyny and racism.Acquire Michael Curtotti's "Cinthio's Desdemona: The Story that Inspired Othello": https://beyondforeignness.org/book/cinthios-desdemona-the-story-that-inspired-othelloSupport/Watch/Follow: linktr.ee/italian_renaissance_podcastGet additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show
--------
46:39
--------
46:39
Ep. 62: Este Ferrara - Borso, Ercole, & Alfonso I
We continue our journey through the Este court of Ferrara, moving from Borso’s decoration of the Palazzo Schifanoia to the ambitious reign of Ercole I. We explore his transformation of Ferrara with the Addizione Erculea and the dazzling Palazzo dei Diamanti, before turning to his son Alfonso and the overlooked brilliance of court painter Dosso Dossi. Finally, we trace how Este patronage shaped Renaissance literature through Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, a chivalric epic that fused fantasy, wit, and courtly ideals into one of the great masterpieces of the age, one that enabled further crosscurrents between the visual and written world. Support/Watch/Follow: https://linktr.ee/italian_renaissance_podcastWorks Discussed:Palazzo Schifanoia Frescos: https://youtu.be/20FIWIDxEbg?si=_-6t4Iba48X0ozuKPalazzo dei Diamanti: https://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/r/rossett/diamant.htmlDosso DossiPortrait of Alfonso I, ca. 1534, https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Battista_Dossi,_ritratto_di_Alfonso_I_d%27Este_-_Modena.jpgTriumph of Bacchus, ca. 1514: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dosso_dossi,_trionfo_di_bacco,_00,1.jpgApollo and Daphne, ca 1525: https://youtube.com/shorts/P3o367FdT_c?si=mwY2Z-7Rr0T2PmycCirce/Melissa, ca 1524: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_(Dossi) Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show
--------
26:53
--------
26:53
Ep. 61: Este Ferrara - Niccolò III, Leonello, and Borso
In this episode, we explore the rise of the Este family and the transformation of Ferrara into a vibrant Renaissance court. From Niccolò III’s political maneuvering to Leonello’s humanist vision and groundbreaking artistic patronage, we trace how the Este shaped culture and power in northern Italy. We then turn to Borso d’Este’s reign, examining his use of art and spectacle to project authority, including his enthroned bronze statue. Along the way, we uncover surprising details—like a controversial monument restoration—and set the stage for Ercole I’s ambitious ducal legacy. Support/Watch/Follow: https://linktr.ee/italian_renaissance_podcastImages DiscussedPisanello, Portrait of Leonello d'Este, 1441-44 https://www.wga.hu/html_m/p/pisanell/1paintin/este.htmlPisanello, Medal of John VIII, 1438 https://www.wga.hu/html_m/p/pisanell/2medals/palaeol.htmlPisanello, Medal of Leonello d'Este, ca. 1444 https://www.wga.hu/html_m/p/pisanell/2medals/leonell1.htmlAntonio di Cristoforo, Niccolo Baroncelli, and Leon Battista Alberti, Equestrian Monument to Niccolo III, 1441 https://equestrianstatue.org/nicolo-lll/Niccolo Barroncelli, Monument to Borso d'Este, ca. 1452 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Monument_to_Borso_d%27Este_(Ferrara)Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast Support the show
The Italian Renaissance Podcast takes you on an exciting journey into fifteenth and sixteenth century Italy, stepping beyond the bounds of general overviews of historical themes of the Renaissance, and diving deeply into interpreting how we understand the period today. Each episode provides an analysis of cultural giants, stories of drama and violence, masterworks of literature, but most importantly, the art. These discussions are curated for not only the adept history lover, but also the general audience, as an engaging and digestible source of information for those interested in enhancing their own understanding of Western history. Follow us on Instagram for images and updates: @italian_renaissance_podcast
México