ABSTRACT
A rich array of textiles and silver greeted Caterina Sforza at the reception in the Palazzo Comunale of Imola after her triumphal entrance into the city in May 1477. Girolamo Riario had carefully selected the furnishings to demonstrate not only his wealth and status as vicar of Imola, but also an appropriate level of respect for his bride. They certainly impressed Caterina’s chaperone, Gianluigi Bossi, who included a detailed description of the scene in a letter to Bona of Savoy so that the court of Milan would understand the honorable reception of their daughter. As he walked through the reception room, the courtier observed the colors and textures of the abundant textiles and made note of the origin and designs of the silver, which Girolamo had inherited from his brother Pietro Riario, who died unexpectedly in 1474. Pietro had been an extravagant patron and collector, and his silver was a material and political legacy that linked one favored papal nephew to another. The silver inheritance included twentyseven large basins (bacilli), several of which were gilt; seventeen plates (piatti) of various sizes; twelve large cups (tazze) with gilt interiors and celebration scenes (feste) in relief; two ewers (stagnati); two gilt tankards (boccali); two gilt cups with pebbled surfaces and lids and handles (coppe a borchiarda); three gilt sweetmeat boxes (confetieri); and one small gilt inkstand.2 The collection, impressive by Roman standards, glittered in Imola and was meant to dazzle Caterina, the townspeople, and the other participants in the provinces with its value and provenance.
