Research report 2008 - Bibliotheca Hertziana - Max Planck Institute for Art History

The Art of Giving: Exchange of Diplomatic Gifts Between Italy and Spain During The Sixteenth Century

Authors
Kubersky-Piredda, Susanne
Departments
Summary
One of the research projects at the Bibliotheca Hertziana in Rome deals with the exchange of diplomatic gifts between Italy and Spain during the sixteenth century. Italian princes offered elaborate works of art to the Spanish king Philip II to demonstrate political loyalty, but also to distinguish themselves before Europe’s most powerful ruler. Ambassadors and agents were responsible for procuring and delivering these diplomatic gifts, and in order to do so they had to be familiar with official political events as well as with internal court intrigues. During the 1580s Philip II employed one of his court jesters, Gonzalo de Liaño, as a middleman on diplomatic missions to Italy. The correspondence of this curious figure offers new insights into early modern court culture.

For the full text, see the German version.

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