Women Of Art History: Isabella

Isabella d'Este. 1474-1539. Italy. 
Patron and Collector. 

­­How many artists can you name? Chances are, you'll have named many more men than women. From the moment we are children, most of the artists and artworks we are exposed to are created by or about men. It's time to rebalance the scales and open up the artistic 'canon', introducing more women and ethnic minorities into the widely known narrative of art history. Here, I'll be trying to do just that in the style of a children's story, introducing you to one more woman from art and art history who, until now, you might not have known. 

Once upon a time, a little girl loved studying. Her name was Isabella d'Este and she was fascinated by ancient history. She learnt all about the ancient Romans and the Greeks and even learnt how to speak Latin and Greek. Because she was so clever and interested, she started speaking to ambassadors who came to visit her parents, who were the Duke and Duchess of Naples in Italy. Even though she was a young woman, she could talk to all these important people about ancient plays and poems, and they were all impressed by her. She realised then, that to get people to take her seriously, even though they thought women were silly, she would have to use her greatest powers: her wit and intellect. 

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Isabella married Francesco Gonzaga and became the noble Marchesa of Mantua, but even though her husband was seen as important and powerful, there wasn't much for Isabella to do. As a woman and wife, she was expected to stay at home and make sure everything looked pretty for Francesco and his friends. But Isabella wasn't content with that and knew that she would have to prove how clever and valuable she could be. 

Women normally arranged for pretty artworks to be brought into their homes to decorate the place. They were not expected to be that complicated, and were often a simple religious painting. Isabella thought that she would buy more complex and impressive artworks in her house, and show the visiting men -ambassadors, noblemen, kings - that she was more than they had assumed. 

Isabella wrote thousands of letters to the famous artists of her time. You can still read them today.

Isabella began writing to the famous artists of her time. These are big names that you probably know already. There were letters to Leonardo da Vinci, Mantegna, Raphael, Titian and many more. Isabella didn't ask for a painting, she told them what she wanted. She knew that what was in the painting would be important, because when visitors came to her house they would know she had bought the painting. Just like speaking Latin showed how clever she was, and how interested she was in ancient history, these paintings showed the world that Isabella understood complex mythological stories and ancient symbolism. 

Until then, it was assumed only men would understand these paintings because a lot of the stories were related to ancient tales about battles and had lots of hidden meanings you had to study to understand. Visitors were shocked when they realised these paintings had been made not for Francesco, but for his wife Isabella. 

 

The Triumph of the Virtues, Andrea Mantegna, 1502. 

In one painting, Isabella told Mantegna to paint an old story all about a woman, Minerva, expelling wickedness from her garden. When visitors saw this painting, they understood that Isabella was comparing herself to Minerva. She was a powerful woman in control of her home. 

When Francesco died, it became even more important for Isabella to show her intellect and seize power in the only ways she could. She didn't want men saying she wasn't fit to rule Mantua. Not only did she buy paintings, but she also collected gems, jewels, medals and ancient sculptures. All of these things had only previously been collected by men. She had beautiful studio rooms built to show off her collections. Because they were so impressive, important meetings began to be held in her studios and from there, she could get involved in political discussions. 

A ring from the 1500s, thought to have a portrait of Isabella on it, made of pearl.  

She used her art collecting and patronage to prove women could do more than just sit at home. She proved she could make huge financial decisions and tell very famous artists what to do. Everyone was so impressed by her that she was made regent, which meant she was in charge of Mantua until her son was old enough to take over. 

Isabella became known as 'The First Lady of the Renaissance' and was one of the most influential art patrons for centuries. The Renaissance was a time when men became really involved with art and history, and so Isabella was really special for being recognised as a valuable woman in an area dominated by men. 

For the rest of her life, important men such as the Pope himself were filled with respect for her. She showed just how important art could be as a tool to seize power, and how to prove your worth, individuality and intelligence even when you don't have many ways to do so.

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