ABSTRACT
In fashioning her own study and “treasury” to house her collections, Isabella took her cue from others, apart from Ludovico. Her mother as well as her father had a study, and her father was a keen collector of antiquities. Isabella had the avidity and the ruthless instincts of the dedicated collector. Gonzaga ambassadors and agents, clerics in Rome who had connections with Mantua, artists such as Gian Cristoforo Romano, and craftsmen such as Lorenzo da Pavia, were solicited to keep her informed of any desirable pieces that might be for sale. The antiquities market was very competitive, and Isabella was not best placed in Mantua to strike quickly when some special prize became available. Again like other collectors of her day, Isabella was also keen to acquire modern copies of antique works of art, and modern works in antique style. Cameos, carved gemstones, bronze statuettes and busts created by contemporary artists and craftsmen were placed alongside antiquities.
