Page - 386 - in Jacopo Strada and Cultural Patronage at the Imperial Court - The Antique as Innovation, Volume 1

Chapter 8386 Though the word ‘stanza’ might here still refer to a ‘room’ in the Kunstkam- mer, the word ‘fabricare’ suggests that the construction of a new building was intended, rather than the adaptation of an already existing space to the Duke’s ‘antiquaglie’. Certainly the letter of instruction the Duke himself addressed to Strada on 20 October leaves no room for doubt that a new building was to be commis- sioned. The Duke tells Strada that he has decided on the site where the new ‘Haus für die antiquitäten’ is to be built; he will send Strada a plan of the plot as soon as possible, together with his own thoughts on the subject, ‘die sachen dest bas darnach habest zurichten’, in order for Strada to arrange things ac- cordingly.8 Three weeks later the Duke writes again to Strada, stressing his wish ‘das Studium mögen aufrichten unnd dasselb mit ehisten in ain wesen bringen’: that is, ‘to build the studio and have it brought into being as soon as possible’. He tells Strada that Fugger will send him: … the [plan of the] site of the place where we intend to build the house, according to which you can plan the building, and write all things in the margin, so that we can look into one thing and another, and afterwards we can the better discuss with you our wishes and opinions.9 Here it is quite clear that a new building is envisaged, and that Strada is ex- pected to produce a design for it, which can be the subject of a further oral con- sultation, after having been duly considered by the Duke and others: doubtless Fugger and the local architects are implied. Acting on the Duke’s direction, Fugger himself had already written to Strada the day before, though it is not quite clear whether he already had sent off the drawing of the site: About the building [‘palazzo’] which his Excellency wishes to construct, he has planned to have done all the preparatory work for it [on the site, DJ], and then to have designs made [for it] by some masters, as well as venire in qua’, cited in Von Busch 1973, p. 123 and 343, n. 99; Weski/Frosien Leinz 1987, Text- band, p. 466, nr. 132. 8 Von Busch 1973, p. 123; Weski/Frosien Leinz 1987, Textband, p. 466, nr. 133: ‘Mit erstem wöl- len wir dir ain verzaichnis des Plaz darauf wir vermainend das Haus für die antiquitäten zu sezen, zueschicken, hatt bisher unnser abwesenheit halber von haus nit sein khonnden. Wollen dir auch daneben usnnser mainung vermelden, die sachen destbas darnach habest zurichten’. 9 Von Busch 1973, p. 123; Weski / Frosien Leinz 1987, Textband, p. 466, nr. 137: ‘Der Fugger wirdt dir den grundt des Plaz, darauf wir die behausung vermainen Zubauen, Zueschicken, demn- ach wirstu den Paw khinden Richten, unnd alle sachen nach lenngs Zuschreiben, damit wir unns in denselben unnd anndern ersechen, unnd hernach mit dir unnser gelegenheit unnd mainung zu seiner Zeit desto bas mündtlich Reden khonnden’.