Duchess of Urbino by her marriage with Francesco Maria della Rovere.Interesting letter with autograph lines and signature addressed to her husband Francesco Maria della Rovere. Three pages in-folio (by hand of secretary), undated.

Daughter of Francesco II Gonzaga and Isabella d'Este, she served as regent during the absence of her spouse in 1532. Patron of the arts, she was portrayed by Titian in 1537, and possibly by Raphael many years before.

The second part of the document fits into the layered relationships between the court of the Dukes of Urbino and the artistic and literary circles of the Renaissance.

In the first page the duchess tells that she has been very ill with her teeth, with a bit of caution in her diet; she thanks the Duke for the gift hesent to her and will let her mother and the doctors enjoy the marinated fish, leaving: «…solo per la parte mia mi ho fatto salvar li carpioni per goderne come sia miglior…».

Eleonora would like the famous physician Ludovico Panizza to have a prestigious role at the ducal court «…la pratica del vescovato (…) racorda lei li ragionamenti quali già avemo avuto di farlo cader in mane de qualche servitore a noi devoto e ch'io già gli disse un mio disegno (…) parlai con M[agist].ro Ludovico Panizza et gli proposi el partito (…) lui ne demostro restare tanto satisfacto q[ue]s.to più dir potissi…».

Panizza (1480-1560), “salassatore alla corte dei Gonzaga”, was physician to Federico II; he published a work about the methods of bloodletting, “De venae sectione in inflammationibus” (Venice, 1542). He was in touch with the philosopher and humanist Pietro Pomponazzi (1462-1525).

However, the Duchess seems to be concerned by another matter about a gentleman named “Rafaello” and the need to settle his position and payment: «…Ho poi parlato di ciò c[o]n Raphaello per il quale V. Ex.tia (…) che già havemo designato accomodar di una simil dignità quale mi ha dicto che quando a lei di proponerle in questo caso havera modo di darli la ricompensa de ducati 200 (…) tanto di pensione sino alla summa de duc.[at]i 350 sopra il vescovato sin che gli possa dar altra recompensa…».

Raffaello Sanzio was recommended in October 1504 by Giovanna della Rovere to the Court of Urbino and certainly still cultivated these relations thereafter; hence the easy supposition that it was to him that Isabella d'Este had to turn to obtain the desired painting.^[1]

It is likely that in this letter Eleonora solicited the payment of a large sum of money («200 ducati», presumably in gold, corresponds to about $40,000 today) for a work presumably not yet completed.

She might refer to the painting known as “Portrait of a Young Girl” which has been recently rediscovered at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and now property of the Italian government. The renowned Raphael scholar John Shearman proposes Eleonora Gonzaga as a more likely candidate as the model for this portrait.

His premise is based on documentation about such a marriage, that would have strengthened ties between two prominent families, also tied to the Papacy through Julius II (Giuliano della Rovere). Shearman indicates that a drawing had initially been sent, but the Pope expressed a preference to see a painting. Raphael was possibly commissioned to paint this portrait, connected with the Portrait of a Boy with an Apple, sometimes identified as Francesco Maria della Rovere.^[1].

For sure, another artist such as Titian portrayed both the Dukes in 1537 (Uffizi, Sala delle Dinastie D15).

Below in the letter Eleonora mentions other people (Jacomo, Alexandro, Octaviano, Archangelo) but she comes back to the point: «Et se … vorà acceptar da Raphaello li benefici ha qui nel stato, havurà per ducati Ducento e … di recompensa; siché expectarò da V.Ex.tia risposta».

Later, in order to underline how important this issue is to her, the Duchess adds a note in her own hand: «Io raccomando a V.S. questa cosa di Rafaello quanto più posso questa mia doglia me ha atrata assai male pur spero che serra stata el fin de tutti i miei mali…».

We do not know if the commitment was actually fulfilled. What is certain is that in 1623 three portraits of Eleonora appear among the paintings in the ducal garde-robe inventory and one of them may have been the one promised by Isabella^[2].

The Duchess ends the letter with the words in her hand: «A V.S. baso le ma[ni] e alla littera di ma[no] sua com/io … responderò e per le rime. De v.s. Leonora».

An intriguing letter from a relevant female personality of the early 16th century, who was involved with the most influential families of the Italian cultural world of their time and of the whole Renaissance: the della Rovere, the Este and the Gonzaga families.