Page - 98 - in Jacopo Strada and Cultural Patronage at the Imperial Court - The Antique as Innovation, Volume 1

Chapter 298 Maximilian i in the Hofkirche in Innsbruck, a commission of even greater dy- nastic importance than the younger Maximilian’s fountain.66 Strada’s interest and expertise in mechanical inventions connected with waterworks—which is indicated by the treatise that his grandson Ottavio ii published under Ja- copo’s name in 1617–1618—is an additional reason why he would have been consulted.67 In case of the Schöner Brunnen, moreover, his personal expertise and expe- rience in the goldsmith’s craft as outlined above provides a second argument for his involvement. Strada’s continuing interest in goldsmith work is attested by his possession of Giulio Romano’s designs for such objects—which he had acquired in 1555 together with the other drawings that remained of Giulio’s estate—and by the fact that it were chiefly these drawings that he selected for the libri di disegni that were produced in his workshop.68 That such interest was not limited to Giulio’s work is borne out by his acquisition or commission of (copies of?) a large number of designs for goldsmith work formerly attrib- uted to Erasmus Hornick (1520–1583), a Flemish goldsmith who was active in Nuremberg from about 1550, drawings which Strada used for similar ends.69 Finally, there is no reason why Strada’s good contacts with Jamnitzer would not have continued after he moved to Vienna. Strada kept in touch with other Nuremberg artists, such as Erasmus Hornick and Jost Amman, both of whom he employed in his projects, as well as with other business associates in Nuremberg and in Frankfurt.70 In fact Strada would have been a valuable con- tact for Jamnitzer: he was well placed to ease the artist’s contacts with his Im- perial patron whenever the latter could not himself be in Vienna. As discussed 66 On the tomb of Maximilian i, see below, Ch. 6.2; on the historical research done at the Habsburg court, much of which was occupied with genealogical and dynastic questions relating to the ‘Felix Domus Austriacae’, see Coreth 1982; Evans 1979. 67 Strada 1617–1618; cf. Jansen 2002. Strada had contacts with the famous engineer Hans Gasteiger, and owned a clock which had been the latter’s masterpiece, a gift from Duke Albrecht v [Doc. 1584-07-01]. 68 On Strada’s acquisition of Giulio’s drawings, see below, Ch. 13.2. 69 On Hornick, see Hayward 1968a and Hayward 1968b; Wenzel Jamnitzer 1985, p. 132 en cat. nrs 386–390; the attribution to Hayward of many of these drawings has been shown to be without clear foundation in Reiter 2012, pp. 183–184; 213–214, 241–242 and passim. 70 Strada’s employment of Jost Amman is documented in Doc. 1574-09-09; his connection with Hornick is discussed in Hayward 1968b. Moreover we know from Strada’s last will that he disposed of a ‘Gewelb’ at the Frankfurt book fair, and had a business relationship with Paolino Nieri, a Lucca banker resident in Frankfurt [Doc. 1584-07-01]; cf. below, Chs. 4.3.4 and 14.5.5.