ABSTRACT
Paolo Giovio (1483-1552), born at Como, was encouraged by Leo X to write a history of his own times. Falling out of favour with Paul III he retired to his birthplace, where he lavishly adorned his villa with antiquities and portraits of famous soldiers and men of learning. Among them was the portrait of Francesco Maria, painted by Titian not long before the Duke's death in 1538. Giovio wrote short biographies to accompany the portraits, which were engraved and first published in 1551.
