Resurrecting the Marchesa

In an age where women had little public power, Isabella d’Este (1474 – 1539) stands out as a formidable figure. She was born into one of Italy’s most illustrious dynasties and married into another. Her husband , Francesco Gonzaga, was a warrior and a philanderer, but their partnership – she ran the state while he was away fighting – lasted over a quarter of a century, during which time she became the greatest female patron and art collector of the Italian renaissance. Her taste, both in art and fashion, her appetite for everything – particularly shopping and food, along with her strong-minded personality make her a great subject for a novel.  But getting under her skin means accessing an extraordinary archive of letters which she left (thirty-three thousand of them) as well as walking in her footsteps through the fortresses and palaces of Ferrara and Mantua.  This lecture will give you some idea of both the pain and pleasure of that process. Getting Isabella right is not an easy business.

The lecture will be preceded by a short recital of music of the period given by students from Aberdeen City and North East Scotland Music Schools.