This note, a long one, is translated from "1505 - Trionfi ricamati della contessa,"
https://www.naibi.net/A/GINEVRA.pdf, of Aug. 28, 2024. It concerns a "paio di trionfi," in parchment, as in another inventory Franco discovered recently,
viewtopic.php?p=26502#p26502. Parchment was not how cards were made at any time near 1505. Not only that, they are "embroidered"; Franco analyzes that word carefully.
These trionfi, which because of the description appear to be from an earlier time, are in the inventory of a widow with a pedigree of interest - she was the daughter of a Pico and granddaughter, on different sides, of a Boiardo and a Sforza, the latter the daughter of Alessandro Sforza. Franco spells out the ancestry, but I found a "family tree" that may be clearer, from
https://gw.geneanet.org/frebault?lang=e ... &p=ginevra. It is missing Ginevra Pico's date of death, 1511. The webpage also has information about Ginevra Pico's daughter Constanza and her progeny, which Franco also talks about. In the family tree below, "Bojardo" is of course "Boiardo," best known for Matteo Maria Boiardo (1441-1494), author of
Orlando Inamorato and a famous "tarocchi poem" with 22 triumphal figures and 4 allegorical suits. And the usual spelling of her mother's name is "Costanza Bentivoglio." The Bentivoglios have their own connection to the tarocchi, in a 17th-century painting and deck connecting them with the Fibbia family, an ancestor of which, although dying by 1419, an inscription on the painting says invented the "tarocchini" (perhaps meaning the tarocchi itself). I expect I will have some comments of my own after posting Franco's note, mostly about Ginevra Pico's father's side of her family.
Here is the family tree, and then Franco. As usual, comments in brackets are mine, for clarification, done in consultation with Franco. The little numbers by themselves in the left margin are the page numbers of his pdf.
1505 - The Countess's Embroidered Trionfi
Franco Pratesi
1. Introduction
I have recently extended my long research in the
Magistrato dei Pupilli avanti il Principato [Magistracy of Minors prior to the Principality, i.e. prior to the establishment of the Duchy] section of the State Archives of Florence (ASFi) to the sixteenth century. In this study, I have examined manuscript No. 182 Sample of inventories and revised accounts for the Santo Spirito and Santa Croce districts (1501-1513), Sample 16°.
As for the playing cards, I have identified only one example, but it is of a deck of trionfi, one of superior quality, perhaps comparable to the one inventoried in Poppiano in 1523.
[note 1] The main difference between these two decks is that in the present case the inventory, compiled in Florence, does not at all guarantee us a Florentine origin of the trionfi recorded; indeed, many details lead us to seek instead a provenance from other regions.
This deck of cards is of extraordinary interest, especially because of the family names of the relatives and ancestors of the deceased countess, more families that for one reason or another are remembered in all the studies on the first diffusion of the trionfi in Italy. I was able to obtain other information on the family context by reading the will of the same countess, also preserved in the ASFi and reproduced here.
2. Ancestors and relatives
As mentioned, looking through the surnames of the families of the parents, ancestors, and close relatives of the deceased, one encounters many of those most familiar to those studying the origins and initial diffusion of the trionfi. Therefore, I allow myself to extend the examination of these family relationships a little, both in terms of time and place. As for the places, the most relevant are in Emilia, such as Mirandola, Bologna, Ferrara, Scandiano, and a few others.
Florence appears in this research almost by chance, but I will not hesitate to run the risk of overestimating its influence. I will begin then with Cosimo the Elder. (As a parenthesis within a parenthesis, I can admit that his tomb, inside a pillar of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, is one of the very few capable of moving me; much more than the Foscolo-esque urns of the strong [minded] men of scholastic memory.) His involvement with this research is shown in the illustration, taken from the ceiling of the room dedicated entirely to him, on the first floor of Palazzo Vecchio next to the Salone dei Cinquecento.
Florence, Palazzo Vecchio: Room of Cosimo the Elder, Detail of the ceiling
_________________
1. https://www.naibi.net/A/RIDOLFI.pdf
2
The episode depicted concerns an important conversation in 1446 between Cosimo de' Medici and Sante, born in Poppi in 1424 as the presumed natural son of Ercole Bentivoglio, uncle of Annibale I, and raised in Cosimo's Florentine court. On that occasion, Cosimo revealed to Sante his lineage in the Bentivoglio family and urged him to go to Bologna to take over the government of the city, after the killing of Annibale I in one of the usual feuds between the most powerful Bolognese families. This happened and Sante remained in office until his death in 1463.
Sante Bentivoglio actually governed the city of Bologna for almost twenty years and contributed to the city’s political and urban development. It is significant for us that the Bentivoglio name is often associated with trionfi; for example, searching on the dedicated site Tarot History Forum (THF) you get 158 references to this surname (as of 08.26.2024).
But the connections do not stop here, because others can be found, starting from his wife, Ginevra Sforza (1440-1507), married at fourteen in Bologna in 1454 (after a celebration by proxy already two years before). From the marriage were born Costanza (1458-1491), whom we will meet again soon, and Ercole (1459-1507); after the death of Sante, Ginevra Sforza married his successor Giovanni II, and from this second marriage sixteen children were born.
It happens that the surname Sforza is closely linked with some of the first known trionfi, preserved by the court of Milan (from THF we do not find references to the surname because there are too many). It must be remembered that the ducal family of Sforza did not represent in Milan a succession from an ancient local family, such as that of the Visconti, to another: Duke Francesco was a military leader [
condottiero] who took over the duchy, helped also by Cosimo the Elder and Florence. Francesco Sforza came from the Marches, and Ginevra Sforza, the natural daughter of Alessandro (1409-1473) lord of Pesaro and brother of "our" Francesco, Duke of Milan, was originally from the Marches.
It may be significant that the name Alessandro Sforza is used for the well-known Catania tarocchi, discussed by Thierry Depaulis, Emilia Maggio
[note 2] and others. The motif of the ring with an intertwined flower that is the basis of the proposal has, however, been convincingly linked to Nicholas III of Ferrara, and therefore either the Pesaro attribution is rejected,
[note 3] or it is considered ‒ as in a study that would limit the production of the deck to the period 1445-1468 ‒ that Alessandro was the only Sforza to have received that emblem from the Ferrarese court where he grew up.
[note 4]
Among the cities more or less closely involved with the first diffusion of the trionfi, here we will no longer encounter Milan, but from the Marches by way of marriages it would be easy to reach Rimini and the Malatestas, another important family for the trionfi; but for Rimini, as for Milan, we can stop here (except at the end to briefly encounter Milan again due to its well-known connections with Ferrara).
If the lordship of Pesaro could appear as a small entity, now we must introduce an even smaller one, that of Mirandola and Concordia. There are several uncommon aspects in this territory. We are used to seeing castles and fortified towns on the tops of hills, but here we are practically at sea level, in a plain without relief. Yet Mirandola owed its fame to its fortifications ‒ which had resisted and would also subsequently resist several sieges ‒ and above all to the family of its lords, the Picos; Concordia was, and is, a separate town, only seven kilometers away, with mills on the Secchia.
For us, the Picos are the family to which Giovanni Pico della Mirandola belonged, a famous personage of proverbial intelligence and culture, but the lordship of the Picos over Mirandola was centuries old and accepted by the citizens and the emperor. Despite the smallness of the territory, the importance of the family was recognized by the sovereigns of the major cities, which permitted
___________________
2. For example E. Maggio,
The Playing-Card, Vol. 44, No. 4 2016, pp. 256-268.
3. C. Dorsini, “Tarocchi rinascimentali fra Milano e Ferrara,” in S. Bonaccorsi and E. Maggio, editors,
Il Mondo in Mano, [Ragusa] 2019, on p. 25.
4. S. Abele-Hipp,
The Playing-Card, Vol. 49, No. 1, 2020, pp. 14-17.
3
the establishment of marital ties between the respective families. (For the trionfi, we find 271 references to the surname in THF.)
Leaving aside more ancient dates, we can start with the lord Gianfrancesco I Pico (1415-1467), who interests us above all for his wife Giulia Boiardo and their children. The Boiardos were counts of Scandiano, and in the sector of interest for the history of the trionfi they are linked to a well-known poetic composition by Matteo Maria Boiardo (1441-1494), son of Giovanni Boiardo (1419-1452), who was the brother of the Giulia Boiardo already met (467 references to the surname Boiardo in THF).
Of interest are the three sons of Gianfrancesco I Pico's wife (aunt of Matteo Maria Boiardo): Galeotto I (1442-1499) who married Bianca d'Este, another important family in the history of trionfi (no reference in THF, because there are too many); Antonio Maria (1444-1501) who married Costanza Bentivoglio, whom we have already met; and the most famous, Giovanni (1463-1494).
3. Family circle
To better focus on the personages closest to the document under examination, I consulted various sources, starting from the entry dedicated to the Pico family in the Treccani Biographical Dictionary
[note 5] and the two main references indicated there;
[note 6] but I relied especially on a contribution by the most famous historian of Mirandola and of the Pico family, also accompanied by a rich appendix of documents.
[note 7]
The critical point in the historical period of interest concerns the succession in the government of the city after the death of Gianfrancesco I in 1467. Usually, it was the firstborn who took over the command, but in this case it was decided that the three brothers would rule the city together. Soon the youngest son, Giovanni, preferred the activity of study, and to deepen his knowledge he traveled extensively, stopping in the places where he could learn the most. Instead, the two older brothers had continual disputes over their respective roles, with Galeotto I who claimed continually to have his rights of primogeniture prevail.
In 1470 Antonio Maria was even imprisoned for a couple of years. Afterward, there were alternating reconciliations and quarrels between the two brothers, with the intervention of no less than the emperor, to support the rights of the firstborn, and the pope, to support those of Antonio Maria. A compromise of short duration was reached thanks to a division of the territory, with Galeotto I as lord of Mirandola and Antonio Maria as count of Concordia.
Antonio Maria had distinguished himself as a military leader and had also served in the papal militias. In the most difficult periods, he found refuge in Rome several times for long periods with his family. In the end, both Antonio Maria and his wife Costanza were buried in Rome.
For some other information on the life of the couple in question, I prefer to report what the priest Ceretti wrote on Count Antonio Maria Pico in the publication cited.
We have very little information about Costanza, and we only know that she was an excellent wife and that she shared with her husband the hardships of his life. In 1490, she was in poor health (even though astrologers had predicted health and a very happy life), so on May 15, Antonmaria wrote to the Marquis of Mantua that it was necessary for her to stay for fifteen or twenty days at the baths of Viterbo. However, these treatments had no effect, and, returning to Rome, she died there shortly thereafter. . . . Her body was buried in Aracoeli in Rome, and the mortal remains of her dear husband were later placed next to it, as the inscription above indicates.
_________________
5. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/pi ... ch=PICO%2F
6. Cronaca della Mirandola, dei Figli di Manfredo e della corte di Quarantola scritta da Ingrano Bratti, continuata da Battista Papazzoni illustrata con note e documenti, a cura di F. Ceretti, Mirandola 1872; Cronaca della nobilissima famiglia Pico scritta da autore anonimo, edited by F. Ceretti, Mirandola 1872; [i
Cronaca della nobilissima famiglia Pico scritta da autore anonimo,[/i] edited by F. Molinari, Mirandola 1874 (both with recent reprints and digital copies available on Google Books).
7. Count Antonmaria Pico della Mirandola, “Memorie e documenti raccolti dal sac. Felice Ceretti,” in
Atti e memorie delle Rr. Deputazioni di storia patria per le provincie dell’Emilia. Sezione di Modena, Modena, 1877, pp. 237-287.
https://www.google.it/books/edition/Att ... frontcover
4
Antonmaria had a son from her who probably died at a young age, since there is no further mention of him. He also had two daughters, Violante and Ginevra. The first, in 1493, married Giberto X da Correggio, whom Antonmaria calls a young man of excellent qualities. . . . Ginevra was then married to Gio. Battista Conti of Rome. Negotiations for this marriage had already begun in 1493. … She also lived with her husband for a few years, and after his death, between 23 April and 21 July 1501, she shut herself into the monastery of S. Orsola in Florence and there, it seems, she ended her career.
The presentation reported does not highlight the qualities of “Gio. Battista of Rome,” who instead deserves special attention here precisely because of his marriage to Ginevra Pico. The Conti family, and in particular the main branch of the Conti of Segni, belonged to the most ancient Roman nobility and could count several popes, starting from the twelfth century.
[note 8]
4. The will
Before examining the inventory of the estate, we can read the will of Ginevra Pico, widow of Conti, from a little earlier. Also in the ASFi, and precisely in the collection “Religious corporations suppressed by the French government,” many documents that were in the convents [and monasteries – “conventi” in Italian applying to religious houses for either sex] of the Florentine territory at the time of the suppression are preserved. I looked for those of the convent [in the English sense of an establishment for women] of Sant'Orsola, and in file No. 42 the wills are collected, together with documents of donations and other types of contracts;
[note 9] among these there is a copy of the will of interest to us. In the same series, I also examined archival unit No. 89, with about ten parchment-covered income and expenditure books, but the documentation for the date range in question is seemingly absent, and not even in No. 131, containing various "Negozi" [transactions] did I find any useful documents.
The collection in file No. 42 covers several centuries, in chronological order, and it is easy to identify the will we are looking for, that of Madonna Ginevra from 1505. I imagine that it is already known to scholars, because these documents were the subject of several investigations already in the nineteenth century, but the copy of the will occupies only three pages and is written ‒ by the “ministra” nun who also wrote in the monastery’s administration books ‒ in a handwriting that is easier to decipher than average; so I decided to copy a part of it and transcribe it in its entirety. It seemed to me that all the information contained, even if to a different extent, provides us with a useful contribution.
ASFi, Corporazioni religiose soppresse dal Governo francese [Religious corporations suppressed by the French Government], 100, file 42 no. 14, Detail (Reproduction prohibited)
I must preface with some criteria used in the transcription of this document and the next one. I have kept many letters as they are read, and in particular the simple and double consonants, although they would often be considered incorrect today. I have divided several words written in succession when, after division, the text appears correct. The three dots in place of a missing word are already in the original text. I have used <xx> to indicate an undeciphered word or symbol. I have inserted (?) after a word of uncertain reading and in brackets
______________
8. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/co ... aliana%29/;
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conti_(family)
9. ASFi,
Corporazioni religiose soppresse dal Governo francese, Convento 100, filza No. 42.
5
additional letters. The letter i is written in three different ways, of which I have kept i and j, although in the second document, the quantity of j is extraordinarily high. Some words can be read, but their meaning is not understood. [For these and some other words we couldn’t translate, there is a question mark in parentheses after them.]
copy 1505 No. 14
[f.1rtt] Testament of Madonna Ginevra della Mirandola
In nomine domini nostri Iesu Christi amen anno ab eiusdem domini nostri salutifera incarnazione millesimo quingientesimo quinto indizione ottava die vero 27 mensis agusti actum ut infra e presentibus testibus infrascrittis ad infrascritta omnia e singula vocatis et adibitis e proprio ore infrascritte testatrice rogatis equorum testium nomina infrascritta sunt
(1) Considering the prudent and magnificent Madonna Ginevra daughter of the magnificent count Antonio Maria of the magnificent lord Giovan Francesco della Mirandola at present widow and wife who was of the magnificent Giovan Batista de Conti barons of Rome as nothing is more certain than death and more uncertain than the hour of said death and being this Madonna Ginevra of good and healthy intellect and of healthy good and pure mind although infirm of body intending to make her present will disposes orders testifies and leaves as below is written and contained videlicet.
(2) And first and foremost the aforementioned Madonna Ginevra, sound in mind, sense, sight and intellect although infirm in body as above, devoutly and with all her heart recommend her soul to Almighty God and to his glorious mother, the Most Holy Virgin Mary, and to blessed Saint Francis and to all the saints of the celestial court of the Holy Paradise, that at the hour of her death and always they may have mercy on her soul and may it please them to lead it to eternal life, and the said testatrix wishes and disposes that her body, when she passes from this present century, be buried in the convent of Saint Ursula, in which convent at present the said testatrix resides, and about which funeral service and prayer for her soul must be done by the nuns of the said monastery and others as the minister of the said monastery will see fit, begging the said devout nuns to make prayer for her soul in the manner and form as the nuns of the said monastery are accustomed to observe in their prayers.
(3) Furthermore, [for] love of God and as a remedy of the soul I leave to said nuns and said convent of Santa Orsola one hundred florins <xx> of gold for their needs and those of said monastery.
[f.1v] (4) Furthermore, I leave to the Opera [the administrative body over work and activities done in the cathedral, literally “Works”] of Santa Maria del Fiore three lire <xx> [for] love of God and as is customary in Florence to leave.
(5) Furthermore, considering said Madonna Ginevra how she has given commission of her house located in the city of Rome to be sold for the price of one thousand five hundred gold ducats, the testatrix wishes and disposes that of said price and proceeds of said house selling as it is said or being sold, five hundred ducats, two lire and 14 soldi are to be given and paid to friar Pagolo of Bologna and to Cambio his brother and to Giovan Francesco of Susa fattore [administrator of the farms and other economic commitments] of the friars of the observance of San Francesco della Mirandola, which money she wishes must be returned as she noted to said friar Pagolo when said testatrix requested it and was provided [with it] and for her said Giovan Francesco had and received and therefore she wishes that it be returned as duty and reason wants.
(6) Furthermore, similar of said price and ducats of said house of Rome said testatrix wants to be paid and given to Madonna Iulia her natural sister 220 gold ducats in gold and likewise to Madonna Giulia said quantity of 220 gold ducats in gold I leave on account of a necklace which she said was left to her by said Count Antonio Maria her father. And I leave and want said testatrix also that to Madonna Lisabetta mother of
6
said Madonna Giulia of said price of said house be given and paid 250 gold ducats are also for a necklace left to her by said magnificent Count Antonio Maria father of said testatrix.
(7) Furthermore, for the love of God also of said money from said house she wants and leaves to be given and paid to said convent and nuns of Santa Orsola of Florence in which at present the testatrix is and in which some time ago she came to live 500 gold ducats in gold with the condition nevertheless that said nuns are required and obliged to keep with them and for their government and custody in their monastery Costanza, legitimate and natural daughter of said testatrix and having for cause or because of work failure or defect of said nuns they do not keep her under their government and custody and care as above said present legacy made to said convent does not take place and is not observed which 500 ducats are to be spent on immobile goods [real estate] for said convent and in the name of said convent the income of which goods must be converted into the utility and needs of said convent and so is her will.
[f. 2r] 8 Furthermore, [for] love of God and for her soul I leave to the monastery [in the English sense of an establishment for men], church and friars of the most glorious Nunziata [Annunciation of the Virgin Mary] of Bologna of the observant friars of the order of Saint Francis and for the needs and alms of those 30 gold in gold ducats, which friars of the said church and monastery are required to celebrate 1000 masses for the soul of the said testatrix and to their prayers she recommends herself.
9 Furthermore, similarly for her soul and [for] love of God, I leave to the monastery, church and chapter of Santo Salvadore near Florence outside the gate of San Miniato of the order of San Francesco of the Observance 30 gold ducats in gold with the assignment that they must also celebrate and say masses 1000 for the soul of the testatrix and to the said friars and to their prayers I commend myself.
10 Furthermore, said testatrix leaves to Lisabetta, daughter of Lucrezia dell'Andreuzza, 400 lire in Florentine manner and use of Florence as her dowry and increase of her dowry.
11 Furthermore, I leave and she leaves to one of the daughters of Madonna Allegrezza who was her nurse 30 lire of bolognini as her dowry, which 30 lire of bolognini [for] love of God and as her dowry she leaves to her.
12 Furthermore, said testatrix leaves to Cambio di Bononia, fattore [manager of farms and other economic commitments] of said testatrix, 50 gold ducats, and in addition to said legacy I want said Cambio to be paid his duty and be paid whatever remains to have from said testatrix as his reward and salary.
13 And I also leave to Stefano alias Silla of Cremona 30 gold ducats.
14 Furthermore, I, said testatrix, also leave to Antonio di Bissa of Cremona 50 gold ducats, and in case [since?] said Antonio wishes to continue to be the fattore of her heirs and to carry out the affairs of the testatrix until her daughter Costanza is 15 years old, he must be kept on because she knows him to be faithful.
15 Furthermore, said testatrix leaves and wants to be done and to be paid certain debts and a certain amount of money, she says is as appears from a writing which is in the possession of Sister Lena, a nun in said convent of Santa Orsola, signed by the hand of said testatrix because they are debts which belong to said testatrix and therefore she wants paid such creditors who have amounts due according to said writing.
The general impression is that not much of the family wealth is left to little Costanza, while the nuns and friars have no reason to complain about their respective shares of the inheritance. In Florence, the main seat of the Conventual Franciscans was Santa Croce ‒ basilica and monastery ‒ but Madonna Ginevra turns instead to the Franciscans of the Observance for the suffrage masses, and they benefit from it in several places. For those who know the history of playing cards, it will be enough to mention Bernardino of Siena to grasp the rigorous aspect of the Franciscan observance.
The rest of the story may arouse some curiosity, and in particular what the fate was of the orphan locked up in the monastery. In a way that was unexpected for me, we soon find this Costanza Conti as the wife of Lorenzo Salviati from 1514 ‒ second of the eleven children of the more famous Iacopo (1461-1533), son-in-law of Lorenzo the Magnificent ‒ and then also mother of the famous cardinal Antonio Maria.
[note 10] The Salviati family was a very important Florentine family related to the Medici and who, just like
__________________
10. For example
https://www.google.it/books/edition/ANN ... frontcover
7
the Medici, were finding new bases of ancient nobility in Rome. In short, the Salviati-Conti couple made themselves known not in Florence among the Salviatis, but in Rome among the Conti descendants from whom evidently our Costanza managed to regain titles and family assets in Valmontone and Velletri. However, continuing “our” events during the sixteenth century does not serve the purpose of investigating the past of the objects that Costanza received as an inheritance as a child. So I can move on to examining the second document of interest.
5. Inventory transcription
A consequence of the previous will was that the custody of the little heir was distributed between the nuns of Sant' Orsola and the offices of the Magistracy of Minors. Of specific interest to us is the inventory of the movable and immovable assets left as an inheritance to her daughter Costanza after the death in 1511 of Ginevra Pico, widow of Conti.
ASFi, Magistracy of Minors prior to the Principality, No. 182, f. 176r detail (Reproduction prohibited)
[f. 176r] MDV Inheritance of Madonna Ginevra daughter of the late Count Antonio Maria dalla Mirandola
This 27th of September 1505 and said officials of the wards and adults of the municipality of Florence took and accepted the guardianship and for a time care of Costanza daughter and heir of Madonna Ginevra daughter of Count Antonmaria dalla Mirandola who made her last will drawn up by the hand of ser Andrea di Cristofano Nochianti under the 17th of August 1505 and left as guardians and curators the special(?) men said officials of the minors and adults of the municipality of Florence of the said Costanza her daughter and heir according to the usual orders of said office as of everything was drawn up by ser Pacce di Banbelo di Pacce notary to the said office under said day.
And here below, as will follow, a record and inventory will be made of all the movable and immovable assets and other memorabilia and things belonging to said inheritance and first.
Minor
Costanza daughter of Madonna Ginevra said to be about 7 years old
Inventory of jewels and household goods and things that were found on the 3rd of October 1511 in the monastery of Santa Orsola in Florence belonging to said heirs and in the custody of the abbess of that done by ser
8
Pacce di Banbelo di Pacce in the presence of the officials of the minors and Antonio di Benedetto and Guglielmo di Giuliano which will be copied here below as from the said ser Pacce has been received and before
1 Small case covered in leather containing the jewels listed below
1 Necklace, i.e. 30 large pearls with pendant with 9 diamonds 1 pierced spinel [a ruby-colored gemstone] and 1 pear pearl
1 Large ring with 1 jasper head 1 emerald in a setting bound in gold
1 Ruby bound in gold 1 jewel for the use of agnusdei [medallion with the image of the lamb standing on the book of seven seals, blessed and distributed by the pope every seven years] of silver with 6 small pearls
1 Agnusdei of gilded silver. 1 small enameled gold bar and 1 pendant
1 Gold pendant with three pearls and 1 ruby 1 needle-container and 1 for sewing all in perforated silver 3 bunches of silver
1 Diamond and 1 ruby corolo(?) tied in gold kept by Sister Lena
12 Spools of gold with 1 gold cross enameled 55 gold “acorns”[ovoid ornaments placed on clothes] enameled in black
1 Gold chain of 66 gold enameled bobbins 1 small coffer covered with wool and iron strips
2 Pillows covered in iridescent taffeta 1 blanket in grain taffeta with Alexandrine pendants
2 Crimson velvet pillows with gold ribbons around with added tassels
1 Decoration of an Alexandrine taffeta [bed-] canopy embroidered with pearls i.e. 1 unicorn embroidered on the head with pearls
1 Embroidered taffeta decoration for the foot of the canopy 1 velvet cover with embroidered bands for said canopy
1 Alexandrine satin cover embroidered with gold and silver for the canopy
1 Alexandrine satin blanket with blue valescio [smooth cotton canvas] overlay
6 Silver spoons with balls at the head 4 silver forks and 1 … with balls at the head in a spoon container
1 Knife box with 9 knives between large and small with silver handles
1 Crucifix in 1 tabernacle of copper decorated in gold, beautiful
1 Book with the nativity of Christ on good paper in pen covered with wooden board ... green
1 Other small chest contains 1 cloth for large towels and are 25 of 2 arm-lengths each.
1 Cloth for large towels and there are 24 of 2 arm-lengths each. 1 small cloth for towels of the sort which were 8.
1 Other cloth for towels of 15 1 other cloth for towels of 20.
1 Other cloth or bolt of towels of various types, of which there were 11.
1 Linen cloth for bed sheets 20 arm-lengths 1 purple satin surplice with large gold brocade damask flounce overlaid with green taffeta.
1 Black velvet isbernia(?) with black cloth overlay for women's use
1 Men's black damask coat lined with black velvet.
1 Black damask gown lined with black taffeta.
1 Black cape with hood lined with black velvet.
1 Worn-out sleeveless black canbeloto(?) dress
1 Black velvet coat for the minor Constanza with gold edges
[c. 176v, first column]
1 Cloth or dark green canbeloto(?) blanket
1 White sleeveless gauze blouse
1 Pair of purple satin sleeves with gold and silver embroidery and work lined with crimson taffeta
1 Pair of sleeves with strips of gold brocade and black velvet lined with crimson taffeta.
1 Pair of crimson satin sleeves with gold lace throughout the sleeve
1 Pair of used grain satin sleeves
20 Arm-lengths of tight black taffeta.
1 Crimson velvet cover embroidered with gold and silver
1 Cover of Alexandrine and white velvet embroidered with gold and silver.
1 Black taffeta cover with . . . of gold.
9
2 Fans of black feathers.
1 Other small chest, inside which
1 Box full of lace and refined thread.
1 Another box of yarn for 1 canopy its supply
1 Silver Ring for sewing.
1 Box containing 1 pair of yarn towels with Neapolitan yarn to work said towels.
1 Box with 2 pairs of pillowcases and refined thread
2 Bolts for towels 20 per bolt for a total of 40.
15 Arm-lengths of thin local linen cloth.
2 Large towels for chests.
1 Pair [paio] of thin towels made in the Neapolitan style
3 Small 1 thread towels.
2 Towels of 1 thread for coat racks
13 Arm-lengths of average linen cloth..
1 Pair of sheets cut and not sewn of 6 arm-lengths each
36 Arm-lengths thin linen cloth
20 Arm-lengths of thin linen cloth to make 1 canopy.
90 Arm-lengths of thin 2-cut linen cloth for 1 canopy.
23 Handkerchiefs in one thin thread.
1 Pair of new thin beautiful mesh sheets
1 Pair of 3-ply thin mesh sheets
13 Thin handkerchiefs, one thread.
8 Beautiful used women's blouses.
1 Ladies hat in gold brocade damask lined with silver brocade damask.
1 Box containing 9 spools of silk for women's sewing
21 Arm-lengths of wide tablecloths of fine linen
20 Arm-lengths of fine linen tassels
26 Arm-lengths of 1 thread fabric tablecloths.
3 Tablecloths one thread … of fine linen
24 Arm-lengths of tablecloths one thread.
16 Napkins in 1 thread of fine linen
3 Tablecloths of fine linen 2 large and 1 medium
3 Large fine linen napkins in 1 thread.
6 Napkins in 1 linen thread
5 Fine linen 1 thread tablecloths
1 Another chest
1 Box containing 11 pieces of gold and silk work for supply of 1 room
1 Work in gold with 2 peacocks for the head of 1 coverlet for head.
1 Black velvet purse with gold work.
1 Purse worked in gold and silver and chain.
1 Black velvet purse worked with drawn gold.
1 Small purse worked with gold and black silk.
1 Supply 1 collar worked in gold and silver
[f. 176v, second column]
1 Worked gold supply for 1 collar
1 Supply worked in gold and silk for 2 collars of drawn gold
1 Silver stirrer and 1 silver straightener.
1 Supply of gold and silk lace for 2 caps.
1 Belt of drawn gold with prong, buckle and 9 gold bars <xx>
8 Pillow tassels of gold and spun silver.
Gold and silver lace for 1 pair of pillows.
10
1 Towel for coat rack made of worked fine linen.
2 Bags of processed linen.
2 Silk-worked linen towels
1 Rough thin towel worked in silk
1 Narrow black taffeta scarf.
4 Arm-lengths of silk veil with gold around.
1 Head Veil with gold velvet 1 lanigha(?)
61 Arm-lengths of veil with stripes of drawn gold.
1 Parchment sheet embroidered above with gold to begin.
1 Fine linen pillowcase with gold and silver lace.
1 Pair of pillowcases made of fine linen worked with gold.
1 Gorget of tane(?) veil worked in gold from the head.
1 Gold-worked fine-fabric cap.
1 Gold worked betta(?).
1 Black velvet man's 2-piece belt full of bars with prong and buckles.
32 Small pieces of gold embroidery.
2 Pairs of tight silk sleeve cuffs
In another chest
2 Men's shirts in Turkish manner.
1 Knife box with 13 knives with silver handles
1 Another knife box with 10 knives with silver handles
1 Small gilded enameled bucket
1 Colored glass case
1 Wooden mirror set in gold
1 Gilded mirror inside which 2 figures playing chess
185 Red corals in a row in a perfume box and 1 box inside which
13 Pairs of new leather gloves and 1 pair of wool gloves
1 Pair of Venetian salt cellars
1 Round wooden birth tray, inside which 2 beautiful porcelain soup plates.
1 Unbound parchment book.
1 Small case, inside which 2 dog collars and more tags in supply
More spindles worked, beautiful
1 Box inside which more perfumes and other little things.
1 Box inside which
1 Worked brush 4 beautiful ivory combs and 1 wooden one and 1 ivory chess [set?]
1 Ivory chest worked with bone figures inside which
3 Little boxes of ointment and 1 sprege(?)
1 Little box containing more little things of more kinds and perfumes
1 Little box, inside which
1 Pack [paio, literally = pair] of trionfi embroidered in parchment
1 Saguolo [bag?] for florins.
1 Box inside which
3 Large antique medals
1 Damascene ball for perfuming
1 Pair of small Moorish shoes
1 Black bone inkwell
1 Beautifully crafted chest of perfumes with heads inside which
1 Tuna jar with its supplies.
[f. 177r]
1 Worked small box for perfumes containing more perfumes
1 Small worn-out burden chest empty
11
2 Pairs of nice used sheets.
1 New wooden bed frame with 1 thread inlay at the head of approximately 4 arm-lengths
1 Pair of new sacconi [two sheets sewn together and stuffed with filling as a mattress] in the above-mentioned bed.
1 Quilt with new pillowcase good of . . . pounds and 1 feather mattress all full Sangiovanni.[?]
1 Good bed mattress with wool filling
ASFi, Magistracy of Minors prior to the Principality, N. 182, f. 176v, detail [Reproduction prohibited)
1 Psalter in parchment in pen covered in black velvet.
1 Other little book in parchment
1 Green taffeta blanket for bed, 4½ arm-lengths, good.
1 Headboard of 10 arm-lengths and 3 high and festoons at the foot with coats of arms and a beautiful fine beast
1 Used 1½ arm-lengths carpet a ruota [rolled up?]
1 Carpet of arm-lengths 2½ good a ruota [rolled up?]
14 Arm-lengths of foreign grey cloth.
2 Pieces of dark black cloth of 8 arm-lengths in all
ii Quarters of white linings
Items given to Benedetto Tornaquinci as a pledge for 6 soldi <xx>
1 Cross with diamonds 1 Pendant with pearls as shown in the will
And all the above-mentioned things remained in the monastery of Santa Orsola kept by the abbess of that monastery and with nun Caterina degli Spinelli.
A house located in the city of Rome and a place called Campo Marzio with its residence and belongings.
12
A stable near said house in said place which was burnt down.
More goods and rights on other goods located in Valmontone di Roma and in the domain of Velletri.
A farmhouse located in the domain of Mirandola and Ferrara with all its appurtenances with several pieces of pasture.
A possession of several pieces of land located in the domain of Carpi and Novi which was granted by the Duke of Ferrara.
6. Comment and conclusion
The result of this study is very unusual. As can be seen from the objects listed in the inventory, there are few common ones; in this case, gold and silver abound and even the fabrics are of superior quality; also the porcelain bowls, certainly still from China, were objects present only in the rich princely courts. Even the trionfi are of an uncommon quality: they are embroidered. Now, finding embroidered objects in a monastery is the most common thing one can expect; in Florence at the time many nuns worked silk full time, and inside, their monasteries were similar to the major city factories. But these trionfi were not a recent product and probably came from far away.
The meaning of the embroideries remains to be understood. In fact, the secondary meanings of the verb
ricamare are not many, nor common, but although rather rare, they are documented, even at the time, with the meaning of decorating or coloring. In short, the typical embroideries of the nuns are out of place here; and on the other hand, parchment would not be the most suitable support for any fine embroidery.
As proof, we can cite another example of “embroidered” parchment, right in the same inventory.
1.a Carta pecora ricamata suvi con oro per comincio [Parchment sheet embroidered
suvi with gold
per comincio]. It is never easy to understand these indications with certainty. In my opinion, here too, the embroidery is a decoration; the
suvi can be read “above which”; the
con oro [with gold] does not create problems precisely because it is a decoration; I would read the
per comincio “to begin,” which leaves the continuation, planned after this preparation, a little uncertain. The first hypothesis that comes to mind is a total covering with gold leaf to be used later as a background to paint some image on top, perhaps sacred.
As in other cases, unfortunately no information is provided on the number of cards in this pack of trionfi. This issue would be important, because there are several different reconstructions, which would require confirmation from documents, but it is clear that there was no need to report the number of cards to contemporaries, who knew it well.
However, after having examined an incredible quantity of inventories of household goods forming part of inheritances left to minors under the custody of the Magistracy of Minors of Florence, I found here some objects that probably had nothing to do with Florence.
In particular, the object of our interest stimulates us towards a long investigation with the aim of reconstructing its past history; usually, if I come across a pack of trionfi, I cannot find a way to go back to the origin; in this case, instead, it seems that the problem consists rather in choosing the right path among the possible ones, which are numerous, different, but also with intersections. Unfortunately, I am not able to push this research beyond the first steps.
The most serious dilemma arises from the problematic connection between time and place. If we limit ourselves to the possible places of origin of these trionfi, the candidatures abound; however, the necessary temporal connections cannot be precisely defined. If one tries to gradually associate times and places, one can still try to follow an itinerary with different alternatives, which however remain difficult to unravel.
The first step stops in Rome, because that is where the goods kept in the monastery come from. We also know that it was in Rome that Costanza Conti married to Salviati developed her fortune, but this is in the future with respect to these trionfi and is not useful for our purposes. The Conti family was certainly of ancient nobility, but we do not find any connection with the first trionfi (and even our usual THF meter does not provide any reference to the family).
13
The situation is different for Rome, however. Before Arnold Esch's successful studies,
[note 11] Rome would have been immediately excluded from the candidate cities for the origin of these trionfi, because for the fifteenth century there was no in
formation on a local diffusion of trionfi. Now, however, it cannot be excluded that it was one of the numerous decks of trionfi, of Florentine production, which arrived in Rome in ever greater abundance as the second half of the century progressed. In such a hypothesis, one would say that this deck of trionfi must have been rather recent, but plausibly decorated trionfi on parchment were produced in small quantities and, above all, several decades earlier (and in the case of a possible Florentine production, one would then have to return to that environment of Cosimo the Elder, from which I started, while heading for Bologna).
However, thinking of a greater antiquity of the deck, the reference to the families mentioned above, of ancestors from other regions, remains very strong. It would seem more logical to start from Ginevra Pico before the marriage, but even so, more roads open up, because on one side the father comes into play, bringing in the Pico family and related ones such as the Este and the Boiardo, and on the other the mother Costanza Bentivoglio with the Bentivoglio and the Sforza, all surnames that strongly attract our attention.
The last known owner of the deck of trionfi is Costanza Conti, daughter and heir of Ginevra Pico, widow of Conti. These trionfi, however, originally belonged to one of her ancestors. How far back in generations is it reasonable to go? This is where the sentimental value of the object comes into play. If it were an old example passed down without direct personal participation in the game, it would seem less likely that it could be preserved for several generations.'
Perhaps it might be helpful to go back through the generations along the female lines: from Costanza Conti to Ginevra Pico, then to Costanza Bentivoglio, and perhaps even further back to Ginevra Sforza. Why not imagine that a grandmother had passed on to her granddaughter her trionfi as well as her first name?
If instead, one were to prefer to investigate among the male ancestors, one could perhaps find a starting point in the game of chess. The inventoried objects indicate a notable interest in chess sets, which here are made of ivory, as they have been known since much earlier times, but only from prestigious locations. In itself, this is not a sure indication of a lasting passion for chess because the chess sets could have been preserved as prestigious specimens to exhibit. However, we encounter another connected element, even more extraordinary:
1 Gilded mirror within which 2 figures playing chess. An unusual object of this kind could not have been found there by chance!
Among the candidate cities, especially the court of Ferrara comes to mind, where we know that chess and trionfi flourished together: Ferrara does not present itself as the city with the closest relationships between ancestors, but it was certainly the center around which the activities and cultural influences of the lords of the entire region gravitated. If then, from direct relationships, the horizon is extended to include other locations known for their passion for both chess and trionfi, from Ferrara we could also bring into play the court of Milan, which, among other things, had several opportunities for encounters with that of the Este family.
Whoever the recipient of this deck of trionfi was when new, it is unlikely that the trionfi were produced in the same location, and a second phase of research would then open up to trace the city of destination back to the city of production; however, it seems to me that this possible second phase would have fewer candidates and fewer connections.
I stop here, in the hope that other clues and documents will be found that will allow us to narrow down the field of hypotheses and perhaps arrive at a certain attribution of these trionfi, something that goes beyond my current capabilities and knowledge.
Florence, 08.28.2024
__________________
11. For example A. and D. Esch, “Aus der Frühgeschichte der Spielkarte,”
Gutenberg Jahrbuch 2013, 88. Jahrgang, pp. 41-53.
