Why did the artists portray Lucrezia Borgia either as a saint or as a courtesan: 5 versions - one woman

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The image of Lucrezia Borgia still remains one of the most controversial images in the history of art and not only. Most of her portraits were reproduced decades after her death, depicting her as a sensual and insidious person. But how accurate these images of Lucretia are is still a mystery. After all, to this day there are many disputes and disagreements about what she really was and why each artist depicted her in his own way, seeing in her either Saint Catherine or an idealized courtesan.

1. Lucrezia Borgia in the image of St. Catherine of Alexandria

One of the earliest Renaissance portraits of Lucrezia Borgia is in the Vatican. Lucrezia's father, Pope Alexander VI, commissioned Bernardino di Betto (Pinturicchio) to create a series of frescoes in the Borgia Apartments. They are written in a series of six suites located in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, now part of the Vatican Library. The frescoes were completed between 1492 and 1494, so that Lucretia was about twelve to fourteen years old. Here she is depicted as Saint Catherine of Alexandria.

A woman's connection with godliness and purity was critical in how she was perceived. Lucretia's portrayal of Saint Catherine is no coincidence. The connections between her and the heavenly religious leaders deliberately strengthen her status as a well-mannered woman. This is what will determine the character of Lucretia throughout her life. She was known for her dedication to the Church and spent time in monasteries when she was stressed / sick and in need of shelter. Her piety was well known even through constant rumors about her family.

Other murals contain portraits of various figures from the family, including her father Rodrigo Borgia, her brother Cesare Borgia, and her father's mistress Julia Farnese. Above is an excerpt from the Resurrection depicting Pope Alexander VI in prayer. Since other members of her family are depicted in the frescoes, it is not surprising that she is also depicted here. Pope Alexander VI was not the first Pope to be placed in religious frescoes, but he was the first to place his family in them. As Pope, he legitimized his children as his own and used their newfound position to create a dynasty for his family. For Lucretia, this meant a profitable marriage. Such a Renaissance portrait would be seen by the Pope's visitors. This contributed to the image that Pope Alexander VI established for his daughter and family.

2. Commemorative medals of Lucrezia Borgia

Two separate medals, both featuring Lucrezia Borgia, are attributed to the sculptor and medalist Gian Cristoforo Romano. Medals during the Renaissance were often made in honor of weddings, anniversaries, deaths or celebrations of a person. The Renaissance revived classical Roman traditions, and commemorative medals were one such tradition. They made it possible to recognize important people and perpetuate their images on these medallions. The inscription translates as "Lucrezia Borgia d'Este Duchess" and dates from around 1502-05 depending on the source.

During her procession to Ferrara, her new home, it was important to show the wealth that her family brought into marriage. Grabbing attention and making a name for yourself was essential to making a lasting first impression. This medal certainly showcases the wealth and sense of style Lucrezia brought with her from Rome.

The medal on the left appears to have been made in honor of the wedding of Lucrezia and Alfonso I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, in early 1502. Isabella d'Este, Marquise of Mantua, daughter-in-law of Lucrezia, described in detail what she was wearing on the occasion of her marriage and her arrival in Ferrara. One of her stories notes that her headdress "was filled with spinels, diamonds, sapphires and other precious stones, including very large pearls." …

This description is the same as that depicted on the left medallion. Her hair is gathered in a popular coazzoni hairstyle for women. The girl in the portrait has smooth hair with a parting in the middle and a long braided braid. She wears a trinzale (a fashionable hairnet, usually with pearls or beads) along with a cord worn around like a headband. Above is a portrait of Bianca Maria Sforza that also showcases this hairstyle.

In 1505, both Lucrezia and her husband inherited the title of Duchess and Duke of Ferrara, so a suitable medal could be a commemoration of this event. The second image is very different from the first. Here her hair is slicked back loosely and flows down her back in waves. She wears a simple cord necklace around her neck. Her dress is draped and fastened at the shoulder with a small buckle called brochetta di spalla. This appearance can be attributed to the Roman style. She was often associated with the Roman heroine Lucrezia, which plays a large role in her identification in other portraits.

3. Portrait of a young lady

"Portrait of a Young Lady" is another painting representing a possible portrait of Lucrezia Borgia. This image is used on biographical sites or in online articles about Lucretia, so it is worth mentioning. According to the National Gallery of London, this is a Renaissance portrait of an unknown woman from around 1500-10. It is only known that the woman depicted is clearly rich, which can be judged based on her outfit. It is speculated that this may be a portrait of Lucrezia, because it was painted by Bartolomeo Veneto, the same artist who created the idealized portrait of a courtesan like Flora. Vento became famous for his highly detailed portraits that accentuate the clothes of the wealthy.

Sometimes artists do not provide any clues as to the identity of the person depicted in the Renaissance portrait. Therefore, it can be challenging to trace the true artist, owner and sitter. Artists usually added symbols or heraldic images that belonged to a particular family. The coat of arms of the Borgia family contains a red bull, and the d'Este family contains an eagle. The decorative feature of the petal-shaped clasps may be another key to identifying the sitter. Religious jewelry was popular during the Renaissance. The necklace seen above contains hexagonal beads containing religious symbols from the Passion of Christ. Some of the jewelry even contained the initials of the owner or a loved one; it is not known if this is an image of Lucrezia or another member of the d'Este family.

However, it is known that Bartolomeo Veneto worked at the d'Este court in Ferrara around 1505 and 1508. By this time, Lucrezia was due to remarry her third husband and was still in Ferrara. If anything, the image demonstrates what style of clothing was fashionable for women in high society at this time. Both Lucrezia and her daughter-in-law Isabella d'Este were well known for their fashion sense and set trends in their courts. There was even a rivalry between them, based not only on appearance, but also on fashion trends.

4. An idealized portrait of a courtesan as Flora

This painting is one of the most popular portraits of Lucrezia Borgia by Bartolomeo Veneto. It is because of the woman's pronounced and stylized golden hair that people call this Renaissance portrait Lucretia. The appearance of this woman is quite consistent with the few descriptions that modern scientists have. The pale skin, blonde hair and grace of this portrait are reminiscent of how she was in life. The painting is believed to have been created around 1520, so it appears to have been created posthumously. Scientists argue that it may not be Lucrezia due to the nature of the portrait. No respectable lady would wear this outfit in public with its loosely draped robe, laurel crown and bare breasts.

It is argued that Veneto did not intend to create a portrait of a real woman. Therefore, here Lucretia is the personification of Flora, the Roman goddess of spring. This image is considered the ideal form of beauty and sensuality. It is not her physical appearance that is important, but what the image itself represents - the eternal beauty as we see it as a form of art. Artists painted portraits of women romanticized as nymphs, goddesses or saints, thus making them more than just women. Paintings like this perpetuate the beauty of these women into something that transcends mortal boundaries.

5. Lucrezia Borgia, Duchess of Ferrara

One of the most recent discoveries in the identification of Lucrezia Borgia is this painting, owned by the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. After years of study since its purchase by the museum in 1965, it made headlines in 2008 when the museum claimed it had the first portrait of Lucretia.

Nevertheless, there are still controversies around this painting among scholars and art critics. The artist who painted the Renaissance portrait, Dosso Dossi, is known to have lived in Ferrara between 1515-20, which coincides with the time when Lucretia was Duchess. Completion date ranges from 1519-30, so if it was her, then it would have been written towards the end of her life or even posthumously. After the difficult birth of her tenth child, Lucretia fell ill and soon died at the age of thirty-nine. It was originally called "Portrait of a Young Man" by an unknown artist, and for many years was considered a portrait of a young man. The androgynous nature of the painting has led to confusion over the identity of the image.

Clues as to whether this is Lucrezia are shown through the objects of the portrait. Experts believe that the dagger she held in her hands is a reference to the Roman woman Lucretia. She was a Roman who committed suicide after being raped by the son of the Roman king, Sextus Tarquinius. Lucrezia Borgia is often compared to the Roman Lucretia not only by name, but also by virtue. Comparison to a woman who died to protect her family's honor helps restore a woman's reputation tarnished by her own family's actions / rumors.

There is also a myrtle bush that represents Venus, the goddess of love. The myrtle bush was used as a symbol of Venus and is used almost exclusively with female portraits. The foreground inscription reads “brighter (than beauty) is the virtue that reigns in this beautiful body,” which is an adaptation of a verse from the Aeneid by the Roman poet Virgil. These symbolic and literal transcriptions of beauty make researchers feel confident that they are talking about a woman and not a young man.

During her tenure as Duchess Ferrera, Lucrezia experienced many events that changed her life. In Ferrera, she survived the deaths of her father, brother and first son along with her second husband. Throughout her marriage, she had miscarriages, became more and more devout, and devoted more and more time to the Church. Because of this, her dress style and appearance were said to have changed. This is not the same fourteen-year-old girl who is perceived with hope and naivety as Saint Catherine. Here she is a woman, mother, wife and duchess with cares and responsibilities. The lack of decoration, thin fabric and the simplistic nature of the portrait could testify to a different kind of holiness. That is why she is remembered as the great woman she has become and the legacy she will leave behind.

It's no secret that the Borgia family was famous for their dissolute lifestyle and ardent disposition, but few people know that this is not the only family around which passions raged. However, the Habsburgs with their dynastic marriages did not go far from the notorious and scandalous Borgia, leaving an indelible and very sad mark in the history of Europe.