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Now, however, the accomplished biographer of Velazquez, Herr Carl Justi, comes forward with convincing arguments to show that the handsome insouciant personage, with the crisply curling dark hair and beard, in Titian's picture at Madrid cannot possibly be, as has hitherto been almost universally assumed, Alfonso I. of Ferrara, but may very probably be his son, Ercole II. This alone invalidates the favourite designation of the Louvre picture, and renders it highly unlikely that we have here the "stupendous" portrait of the Signora Laura mentioned by Vasari.
We were also invited to become members during our stay of the Circolo Negozianti, or Merchants' Club, of Ferrara. This Club had spacious premises in an old Palazzo, and was the warmest place in the town, having a most efficient system of central heating. Ferrara is spread over a large area relatively to its population; it has broad streets and very few slums.
The war had deprived Ferrara of much of its brilliancy, although it was still one of the most attractive of the princely courts of Italy. During the following years of peace Alfonso devoted himself to the cultivation of the arts. The most famous masters of Ferrara Dossi, Garofalo, and Michele Costa worked for him in the castle, in Belriguardo, and Belfiore.
Subsequently his Holiness and ourselves came to an agreement, and the Most Christian King persistently urged us to execute the contract. I hasten to inform your Majesty of the event because our mutual relations and love require that you should be made acquainted with everything which concerns us and so we offer ourselves to do your pleasure. FERRARA, September 2, 1501.
So far he had asserted and confirmed his military and diplomatic independence: he now boldly assumed political supremacy. Though at times he expressed a low opinion of the Italians, yet he recognized their higher qualities. In Modena, Reggio, Bologna, and Ferrara were thousands who understood the significance of the dawning epoch.
The manufactory at Ferrara was now allowed to sell to the public, so great was its success, and to it is owed the first impetus given to the weaving in Italy and the production of some of the finest hangings which time has left for us to enjoy to-day.
"It is not necessarily significant, of course; Lord Lashmore in all probability will outlive Ferrara, who looked even more pallid than usual." "You regard him as an utterly unscrupulous fortune-hunter?" "Certainly." "Did Lady Lashmore appear to be in good health?" "Perfectly." "Ah!" A silence fell, of some considerable duration, then: "Antony Ferrara is a menace to society," said Robert Cairn.
The river here flows between lofty embankments, the adjoining lands being below its level, and reminding one of Holland; and were any extraordinary inundation to happen among the Alps, and force the embankments of the Po, the territory around Ferrara, if not also that city itself, would infallibly be drowned.
It has always been a favourite exercise to track the Corvinian MSS. into their scattered hiding-places. Some are in the Vatican, others at Ferrara, and some in their birth-place at Florence. It is said that some of them have never left their home in Hungary.
December 31, 1503, Duke Ercole wrote his ambassador in Rome to take charge of Cæsar's chests when the Cardinal of Sorrento should send them to him, and forward them to Ferrara as the property of the Cardinal d'Este.
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