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The story of the image of the etched castle print! Now help us find the Texan artist!
Sometimes the story of art is about the artists, sometimes about the making of the art, sometimes about the subject and occasionally about all of the elements. Today we will focus on the subject of the image rather than the artist. The reason? The image is a beautiful etching with a unique frame, which we will share more about its transformation in a later blog. But the artist is someone we just have no information on, other than he may have been from Texas and he created this piece for an interior design firm. If anyone knows about or is Fred Ferrian please reach out to Contre Le Mur, we want to learn more about him!
Description: Etching of Este Caste
Credit: Fred Herrain
FROM A BLOODY HISTORY
On 3rd September 1385, the city of Ferrara was a flame. After the announcement of another wave of taxes a riot broke out. The people of the city marched their way towards the city’s Rocca, an old watchtower that had been reinforced. While not starting fires they looted whoever failed to barricade their homes in time. Inside the Rocca the Este family, the rulers of Ferrara, were in a state of panic. All knew what would happen if the mob found their way inside, and, as the mob began pounding at the door, they knew time was running out. Out of desperation, Nicolò II (1338-1388), the current head of the Este family, gave into the demands of the mob and revoked the taxes, along with handing over an unpopular judge, who the mob executed. In the days that followed, the city returned to a state of calm, but the incident left a mark on Nicolò II.
Description: House of Este coat of arms circa 1500.
Credit: Unknown
After rounding up, and summarily executing, the leaders of the mob, Nicolò II set about constructing a castle that would protect him and his family from Este’s enemies. Nicolò II contracted Bartolino da Novara an accomplished military engineer to design this castle, as he began clearing the area around the old Rocca for development. Of course, the complaints of those living in the small suburb that had developed around the Rocca were ignored. Over the following years Castello Estense (Este Castle) was constructed, which would serve as the seat of power for the Este dynasty for the next two centuries.
Ferrara and Este Castle into beacons of the Renascence. In his later years, Ercole I would become a patron of the arts, inviting painters and musicians from across Europe to Este Castle, which was now more of a palace than a castle. Towers that once held weapons were redone into apartments, and rooms were enlarged and decorated appropriately for a patron of the Renascence. Ferrara itself would become one of the leading cities in Europe during the Renascence.
Description: Portrate of Ercole I D'este, Duke of Ferrara
Credit: Dosso Dossi
TO A PAPAL PROPERTY
Este control of Ferrara would come to end of 1597, when the Alfonso II d'Este (1559–1597) died childless. This resulted in a succession crisis within the dynasty for who would control Ferrara. The winner of this crises would be none of Estes, but Pope Clement VIII (1536-1605) who stripped the Estes of their noble ranks, forcing them to leave Ferrara, and bringing Ferrara under the control of the Papal States. Though the Este dynasty would move their capital to Modena, they would never control Ferrara again. Before leaving the Este’s would strip the castle of all the art and relocate it to their new home. However, not all would arrive, as a large amount of the vast collection would be dispersed across Europe through one means or another.
Under control of the Papal States, Este Castle, and Ferrara, was a shadow of its former self. Once the capital of a powerful Italian destiny and one of the finest cities in Europe, the city had become a frontier city and Este Castle the cardinal’s residence. The work done on the castle was redecorating and maintenance work. On special occasions the castle would be spruced up, but after the event the decorations would be taken down. Apart from brief military occupations during the Napoleonic Wars, this would be the life of Este Castle for the next three centuries, until in 1860 the Kingdom of Italy would annex Ferrara.
AND A HIGHLY VISITED ATTRACTION TODAY
The Kingdom of Italy did little with the Este Castle, a single castle was minor in comparison to having to deal with the unification and running of a new nation. In the early 20th century leaders of Ferrara had been talking about restoring Este Castle to its former glory, but the Great Depression, World War 2, and its aftermath put those plans on hold. Then in the 1980s the leaders of Ferrara began work on turning Este Castle into the monument that it is today. By the 21st century, Este Castle had become one of Italy's most visited monuments, while also being a well-preserved medieval castle, a Renaissance Palace, and a museum all at the same time.
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Want to learn more about Este Castle? Check out the sources for this story!
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