Isabella implored Leonardo da Vinci to paint her a portrait, depicting Jesus Christ as a youth at the temple (1504). I don’t think any artist today, would be displeased of having such instructions given to them. I would say, hearing such words of compliments as Isabella praises Leonardo’s work in the letter, any artist would feel pleased and gratified. Although the demands of Isabella may seem a bit exacting at first, but it would be incorrect to judge her manner as condescending, for she places her instructions with politeness. For example, in the letter, she says that “. . . we beg you to keep your promise by converting our portrait into another figure. . .” Here, it becomes apparent that while using an instructional tone throughout the letter, she exhibits an attitude of respect and courtesy. During the Renaissance, family ties, art and patronage were interrelated in some ways and influenced the presence of one another. For example, Isabella d’Este was born into an affluent family that admired the Renaissance art and literature …show more content…
Besides prompting the creation of artwork, it was one of the traditions of the elite at the time to finance the works of artists as well as own pieces of artwork which helped them elevate their standing in society. Apart from stimulating the sensibilities of aesthetic pleasures, these ‘artistic patrons’ placed great emphasis on family ties to enhance their social and political reputation. For instance, Isabella’s parents fixed her matrimonial alliance into the family of a duke of Mantua. Apart from finding a good suitor for Isabella, the actual motive of this alliance was to combine the political powers of the two families and retain their independence from the powerful cities of Milan and