Gli estensi. Vol. 1. La corte di Ferrara

The nearly unlimited sources of the Estensi's library - the present Biblioteca Estense in Modena - and the thousands of documents kept by the Modenese Archives have stimulated our scholars to go over the whole history of the Estensi, from the origins of the House (10th century) up to the end of its rule over Ferrara (1598). This profile of the Este House has been traced by means of two different methodological approaches: on one hand historical narration, on the other a re-proposition of the many and well renowned art masterpieces commissioned or collected by the Estensi, supported by proper historical-artistical studies on this direct evidence of the Court's high cultural level. The essays composing this volume provide new contributions to the research, especially from certain angles, such as the matrimonial policy or the cultural relations as parts of an active participation to the European civilization. A thorough fresco depicting a meaningful part of European history, richly illustrated with the masterpieces of the cultural institutions' collections, heirs of the ducal treasures.