The Monstrous Marchesa. 

An illustrated lecture on the life and exploits of Isabella D 'ESTE 

In an age where women had little public power, Isabella d’Este (1474 – 1539) stands out as a formidable figure. She was born into one of Italy’s most illustrious dynasties and married into another. Her husband , Francesco Gonzaga, was a warrior and a philanderer, but their partnership – she ran the state while he was away fighting - lasted over a quarter of a century, during which time she became the greatest female patron and art collector of the Italian renaissance. Her taste, both in art and fashion, her appetite for everything - particularly shopping and food, along with her strong-minded personality make her a great subject for a novel.  But getting under her skin means accessing an extraordinary archive of letters which she left (thirty-three thousand of them) as well as walking in her footsteps through the fortresses and palaces of Ferrara and Mantua.  This lecture will also give you some idea of both the pain and pleasure of that process. Getting history right is not an easy business.

Date and Time:

Thursday 18th June

7.30pm

Location:

The George Watson Memorial Hall, 65 Barton St, Tewkesbury GL20 5PX

Tickets:

£20