Inventory of the Possessions of Isabella d'Este-Gonzaga

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his catalogue of the "Robbe" possessed by Isabella d'Este, the well-known First Lady of the Italian Renaissance, is a manuscript on parchment, written in sepia ink and gold-leaf illuminated, bound in leather with a gold-leaf border. The inventory was drawn up by Odoardo Stivini, notary public to the Gonzaga court who, in 1542, three years after the death of the Marchioness of Mantua, was appointed to list the works conserved in Isabella's "Studiolo" in the Corte Vecchia, inside the Ducal Palace. The 236 items catalogued evidence the aesthetic taste and collecting "mania" of this outstanding woman, a leading figure in the European culture of her time. Listed among other in this catalogue are works by Mantegna, Giulio Romano, Michelangelo, Correggio and Perugino. Isabella, born in 1474 in Ferrara, grew up as a child prodigy, and earned the praise of her contemporaries for her innate elegance and dignity, but also for her diplomatic prowess. Life at her court was extremely spirited. Numerous intellectuals and statesmen attended her salon for the quality of its conversation and hospitality.

Manuscript of 1542, 48 pages, cm 17x24, bound in imitation leather, with box; printrun: 600 copies. The commentary volume in Italian, completing the edition, includes contributions by R. Iotti, C. Cieri Via, L. Ventura and C. M. Brown.

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