Word of the Day
Este (ES-tay)
Common clues: Renaissance family; Noted Renaissance patron
Italian noble family that prospered from the late 10th to the early 19th century and noted patrons of the arts during the Renaissance. The name was taken from the castle of Este, near Padua.
Isabella d’Este was eager to have Leonardo da Vinci do a portrait of her. The drawing above (probably sketched in Mantua in 1500) is probably a study for that portrait. It is thought that Leonardo lost interest in the project and avoided her as much as possible. She spent the next four years insisting, offering commissions, and begging, but it is almost certain that the project was never completed.
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