study
Study or studies may refer to:
General
* Education
**Higher education
* Clinical trial
* Experiment
* Observational study
* Research
* Study skills, abilities and approaches applied to learning
Other
* Study (art), a drawing or series of drawi ...
, or room for intellectual pursuits, that was once found in a razed
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
palace in
Ferrara
Ferrara (, ; egl, Fràra ) is a city and ''comune'' in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital of the Province of Ferrara. it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream ...
, Italy. While the palace has disappeared, records do list the paintings, consisting of depictions of muses, that hung in the room. These secular works are now dispersed across museums, but their collective presences recall the renewed attention of
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
patrons to symbols from classic mythology.
The palace, like the Palazzo Schifanoia, is described now a ''delizia'' of the Este dynasty, which are now considered semi-rural palaces for the enjoyment of ''delights''. The palace was commissioned in 1447 by
Leonello d'Este
Leonello d'Este (also spelled Lionello; 21 September 1407 – 1 October 1450) was Marquess of Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio Emilia from 1441 to 1450. Despite the presence of legitimate children, Leonello was favoured by his father as his successor ...
but completed by Borso d'Este around 1463. The exact layout of the palace, located near the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli is unknown, since in 1483, it was severely damaged by the besieging Venetian armies, and a fire in 1683 completed the destruction.
Domenico da Piacenza
Domenico da Piacenza (c. 1400 – c. 1470), also known as Domenico da Ferrara, was an Italian Renaissance dancing master. He became a very popular teacher with his students – most notably Antonio Cornazzano and Guglielmo Ebreo da Pesaro – who b ...
is reputed to have taught in the Palazzo and choreographed the three-person ballo named Belfiore in its honor.
Description
Leonello had commissioned the Studiolo dedicated to the
Muses
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the p ...
.
The decorative layout of the room was conceived by
Guarino Veronese
Guarino Veronese or Guarino da Verona (1374 – 14 December 1460) was an Italian classical scholar, humanist, and translator of ancient Greek texts during the Renaissance. In the republics of Florence and Venice he studied under Manuel Chrysolor ...
, a tutor of Lionello, In 1447, Guarino mailed Lionello a description of the allegorical figures. By 1449, the palace had the paintings of Clio and Melpomene. Decoration of the studio continued after the death of the tutor and pupil, and the program underwent modifications. The intarsia walls were destroyed along with the palace. Eight of the nine canvases are now attributed to this room:
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Erato
In Greek mythology, Erato (; grc, Ἐρατώ) is one of the Greek Muses, which were inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. The name would mean "desired" or "lovely", if derived from the same root as Eros, as Apollonius o ...
Cosmè Tura
Cosmê Tura (c. 1430 – 1495), also known as Il Cosmè or Cosimo Tura (), was an Italian early-Renaissance (or Quattrocento) painter and considered one of the founders of the School of Ferrara (Painting), School of Ferrara.
Biography Formati ...
, Pinacoteca nazionale di Ferrara
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Urania
Urania ( ; grc, , Ouranía; modern Greek shortened name ''Ránia''; meaning "heavenly" or "of heaven") was, in Greek mythology, the muse of astronomy, and in later times, of Christian poetry. Urania is the goddess of astronomy and stars, he ...
Cosmè Tura
Cosmê Tura (c. 1430 – 1495), also known as Il Cosmè or Cosimo Tura (), was an Italian early-Renaissance (or Quattrocento) painter and considered one of the founders of the School of Ferrara (Painting), School of Ferrara.
Biography Formati ...
Thalia
Thalia, Thalía, Thaleia or Thalian may refer to:
People
* Thalia (given name), including a list of people with the name
* Thalía (born 1971), Mexican singer and actress
Mythological and fictional characters
* Thalia (Grace), one of the three ...
'' (comedy and pastoral poetry);
Michele Pannonio
Michele Pannonio, in Hungarian language Pannóniai Mihály, also known as Michele Ongaro or Michele Dai Ungheria (born before 1415 – Ferrara, before 1464) was a Hungarian-Italian painter, active in Ferrara, Italy.Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
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Euterpe
Euterpe (; el, Εὐτέρπη, lit=rejoicing well' or 'delight , from grc, εὖ, eû, well + el, τέρπειν, térpein, to please) was one of the Muses in Greek mythology, presiding over music. In late Classical times, she was named muse ...
'' (flutes and lyric poetry); anonymous Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
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Melpomene
In Greek mythology, Melpomene (; grc, Μελπομένη, Melpoménē, to sing' or 'the one that is melodious), initially the muse of chorus, eventually became the muse of tragedy, and is now best known in that association.
Etymology
Melp ...
'' (tragedy); anonymous, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
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Polyhymnia
Polyhymnia (; el, Πολυύμνια, lit=the one of many hymns), alternatively Polymnia (Πολύμνια), was, in Greek mythology, the Muse of sacred poetry, sacred hymn, dance and eloquence, as well as agriculture and pantomime.
Etymology ...
Cosmè Tura
Cosmê Tura (c. 1430 – 1495), also known as Il Cosmè or Cosimo Tura (), was an Italian early-Renaissance (or Quattrocento) painter and considered one of the founders of the School of Ferrara (Painting), School of Ferrara.
Biography Formati ...
,
National Gallery, London
The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director o ...
Supposedly the iconography parallels a bas-relief (1454-1456) depicted by Agostino di Duccio in the Tempio Malatestiano of Rimini.
Studiolo di belfiore, erato di angelo maccagnino e collaboratori di cosmè tura.jpg, Erato
Studiolo di belfiore, urania di angelo maccagnino e collaboratori di cosmè tura.jpg, Urania
Studiolo di belfiore, tersicore di angelo maccagnino e collaboratori di cosmè tura, museo poldi pezzoli.jpg, Terpsichore
Studiolo di belfiore, thalia di michele pannonio, budapest 2.jpg, Thalia
Studiolo di belfiore, euterpe di anonimo ferrarese, budapest.jpg, Euterpe
Studiolo di belfiore, melpomene di anonimo ferrarese, budapest.jpg, Melpomene
1455-60 Muse Polyhymnia anagoria.JPG, Polyhymnia
Cosmè Tura - A Muse (Calliope?) - WGA23142.jpg, Calliope