The ''Allegory of Isabella d'Este's Coronation'' is a painting by the Italian Renaissance painter Lorenzo Costa the Elder, dating to about 1505–1506. It is displayed in the Louvre Museum of Paris, France.

History

The painting was the fourth commissioned by Isabella d'Este for her ''studiolo'', after two canvasses by Andrea Mantegna ('' Parnassus'' and the ''

Triumph of the Virtues The ''Triumph of the Virtues'' (also known as ''Minerva Expelling the Vices from the Garden of Virtue'') is a painting by the Italian Renaissance painter Andrea Mantegna, completed in 1502. It is housed in the Musée du Louvre of Paris. The '' ...

'', respectively from 1497 and 1499-1502) and Perugino's ''

Combat of Love and Chastity ''The Battle Between Love and Chastity'' is a painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Pietro Perugino, now in the Musée du Louvre, in Paris, France. It was originally commissioned for the '' studiolo'' (cabinet) of Isabella d'Este, Marchesa o ...

'' (1503). The subject was provided by the court poet

Paride of Ceresara Paride is a masculine Italian given name. Notable people with the name include: *Paride Grillo (born 1982), Italian cyclist *Paride Milianti (born 1934), Italian alpine skier *Paride Suzzara Verdi (1826–1879), Italian patriot, journalist and poli ...

and was initially assigned to Mantegna. However, after the latter's death in 1506, he was replaced by Lorenzo Costa, who deleted all the work made by his predecessor. Isabella liked the painting, and this granted Costa the position as the new court painter of the

Gonzaga Gonzaga may refer to: Places * Gonzaga, Lombardy, commune in the province of Mantua, Italy * Gonzaga, Cagayan, municipality in the Philippines *Gonzaga, Minas Gerais, town in Brazil *Forte Gonzaga, fort in Messina, Sicily People with the surna ...

of Mantua. Duke

Charles I of Nevers Charles Gonzaga ( it, Carlo I Gonzaga) (6 May 1580 – 22 September 1637) was Duke of Mantua and Duke of Montferrat from 1627 until his death. He was also Charles III Duke of Nevers and Rethel, as well as Prince of Arche and Charleville. Biograph ...

gifted this and the other paintings in the ''studiolo'' to

Cardinal Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu (; 9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a French clergyman and statesman. He was also known as ''l'Éminence rouge'', or "the Red Eminence", a term derived from the ...

, and the ''Allegory'' thus went to Paris. After belonging to several collections, it became part of the collections of the Louvre Museum.

Description

The most accepted interpretation of the painting is an exaltation of Isabella d'Este, her rule and her role as patron of the arts, which generates harmony. She would be the figure in the center, crowned with laurel by

Anteros In Greek mythology, Anteros (; Ancient Greek: Ἀντέρως ''Antérōs'') was the god of requited love (literally "love returned" or "counter-love") and also the punisher of those who scorn love and the advances of others, or the avenger of u ...

, who is held by his mother, Venus: the two mythological figures would symbolize the heavenly and virtuous love, compared to the earthly and carnal one. The scene would be in the garden of Harmony, where it is possible to freely practice Music, Arts and Poetry, which are referred to by the characters surrounding the coronation. In the foreground, behind the garden's boundaries, are

Diana Diana most commonly refers to: * Diana (name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Diana (mythology), ancient Roman goddess of the hunt and wild animals; later associated with the Moon * Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997) ...

, symbol of chastity, and

Cadmus In Greek mythology, Cadmus (; grc-gre, Κάδμος, Kádmos) was the legendary Phoenician founder of Boeotian Thebes. He was the first Greek hero and, alongside Perseus and Bellerophon, the greatest hero and slayer of monsters before the da ...

(on the left), protectors of the arts such as

Mercury Mercury commonly refers to: * Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun * Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg * Mercury (mythology), a Roman god Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to: Companies * Merc ...

, identified by the scene of battle behind him on the painting's left. The two female characters sitting on the ground are identifiable with the Virtues who watch over Isabella's world: the one crowning the ox would be Perseverance, the one crowning the lamb would be Purity or Innocence. Another interpretation is that based on the ''Tabula Cebetis'': the painting would represent the different genres of poetry, the foremost of which is lyrics, portrayed by Venus in the center. The character being crowned would be

Sappho Sappho (; el, Σαπφώ ''Sapphō'' ; Aeolic Greek ''Psápphō''; c. 630 – c. 570 BC) was an Archaic Greek poet from Eresos or Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her Greek lyric, lyric poetry, written to be sung while ...

, and the personifications around her would be outstanding early lyricists such as Callimachus,

Propertius Sextus Propertius was a Latin elegiac poet of the Augustan age. He was born around 50–45 BC in Assisium and died shortly after 15 BC. Propertius' surviving work comprises four books of ''Elegies'' ('). He was a friend of the poets Gallus a ...

, Ovid and Tibullus.

Other paintings of Isabella's Studiolo

* '' Parnassus'' by Mantegna * '' Reign of Comus'' by Lorenzo Costa * ''

'' by Mantegna * ''

'' by Pietro Perugino

Sources

External links

Page at the museum's website
{{Authority control 1500s paintings Paintings in the Louvre by Italian artists Paintings by Lorenzo Costa the Elder category:16th-century allegorical paintings category:Allegorical paintings by Italian artists Paintings of Venus category:Gonzaga art collection Sheep in art Horses in art Musical instruments in art Ships in art Cattle in art Paintings depicting Diana (mythology)