Castello Casatico Julio Romano
The photographs contained in todays post are of the Castello designed by Julio Romano for Baldassare Castiglione
Castiglione was the emissary for the Gonzaga Court in Mantua to Spain and many other places. He wrote a book entitled The Book of The Courtier which stated the qualities of the complete and perfect courtier in Renaissance times. My favourite portrait is contained in the link above. Rafeal painted Baldassare Castiglione obviously embodying the qualities that Castiglione had written about- to portrait is both beautiful and enigmatic. We have been lucky to find out much more about Castiglione because old family friends, the Melegari family live in a little village called Casatico where he was born and lived.His castello is on the perimeter of the village where, though it is used occasionally for festa's, it is not restored or even that well cared for and yet it is a marvellous piece of renaissance architecture custom built for Castiglione by Julio Romano. The etching below is an original etching by my friend and artist , Ada Melegari, of the Castello made on the occasion of her nephews wedding Fabio Melegari to Sara. Last time I visited she gave me one of the prints, and I feel lucky indeed.
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