Page - 342 - in Jacopo Strada and Cultural Patronage at the Imperial Court - The Antique as Innovation, Volume 1

Chapter 634� for help in the Lazius controversy, a relationship which would continue until Maximilian’s death, and which was characterized by considerable mutual re- spect.4 Maximilian himself had already shown some interest in architecture and city planning and he was at least the nominal organizer of the festivities of 1560. In later life, between his many more pressing political occupations, those devoted to building, gardening and festive projects at court provided a welcome recreation. Probably by this time he would have concerned himself personally in the architectural projects initiated by his father, whom he rep- resented in his frequent absences: in particular in those projects intended to create or improve the accommodation for himself, his consort and his children and their households. But if so, we still do not know what form such involve- ment would have taken. Deliberations such as that about the Hofspital seldom had an official status. As we have seen in the preceding chapter, they are very rarely documented, but that does not mean that they did not take place regularly, though the personal presence of Ferdinand in this instance probably was exceptional. In most cases Schallautzer, as Bausuperintendent, seems to have been responsible for the co- ordination of projects. Doubtless this included the communication between the Emperor and the architects and other artists involved in the projects under his supervision, so it is likely that formally Strada took his orders from Schal- lautzer; there is no evidence that Strada’s attack on Lazius, Schallautzer’s neph- ew, in any way interfered with their professional relations. Yet it is unlikely that Ferdinand and Maximilian would not have wished occasionally to hear their expert’s opinions at first hand, just as it is unlikely that Strada would have ac- cepted his position in Vienna, had he not at least occasionally been allowed to communicate his ideas or to present his designs to his patrons in person. This is indicated by Strada’s confident letter to Archduke Ferdinand, insisting on the total control of the planned work; by his relative independence when em- ployed by his first patron, Hans Jakob Fugger, with whom he still maintained a close personal relationship; and, later in his career, by the insistence of Duke Albrecht v of Bavaria on Strada’s personal presence when he was planning the Munich Antiquarium.5 4 Copy of a letter by Strada to King Maximilian, enclosed in his letter to Hans Jakob Fugger of 6 June 1559, ibid. The letter to Fugger implies that Strada actually spoke to the king about the subject, before or when presenting his petition. 5 DOC. 1556-12-22: Strada to Archduke Ferdinand: ‘Però volendo Sua Excellenza darmi il carico de tutto il lavoro, et ch’io abbia a comandare, et che non conoschi altro sopra capo che Sua Excellenza’. Strada’s role in the genesis of the Munich Antiquarium discussed below, Ch. 8.