Page - 609 - in Jacopo Strada and Cultural Patronage at the Imperial Court - The Antique as Innovation, Volume 2

609The Musaeum: Its Contents and Albrecht v on his own account, taking the responsibility for and the risk involved in their further sale on his own shoulders. Unfortunately there is only one other transaction involving both Strada and Titian that is securely documented. This had nothing to do with any of Titian’s own works, but instead concerned a small but very valuable casket in rock crystal set in a silver gilt mount and decorated with precious stones. This casket belonged to Carlo della Serpa, who had been First Chamberlain to Pope Julius iii. Della Serpa, who wished to sell it together with a variety of other pre- cious objects in his possession, had given the casket to Titian in security for a loan that the artist—‘la stessa avaritia et diffidentia’, according to Stopio—had made him. Titian showed it to Strada, who thought it might be a suitable pre- sent for Prince Wilhelm of Bavaria, Albrecht’s son and heir, to give to his bride. Through Strada’s mediation Titian finally did succeed in selling the casket to the Duke, placating its owner, who had hardly been consulted, by arguing that this transaction would open up opportunities to dispose advantageously also of his other ‘galanterie’.78 In this way Titian was enabled to demonstrate his goodwill towards the Duke and doubtless also to make a considerable profit on the transaction: so at least on this occasion Strada’s interference was to his im- mediate advantage. Strada himself will likewise have gained financially from the deal; yet it must be kept in mind that—just as in the acquisition of the Loredan collection—he did not act as a merchant—who would have bought the casket on his own account, to sell it at a possibly large profit—but merely as an agent for Albrecht V.79 78 On this transaction, see BHStA-LA 4851, fols. 325–326; 348–349; and BHStA-LA 4852, fols. 56, 83, 91, 97–98, 100–102, 111–112; 119; 131 and 142. Among the other objects owned by Della Serpa was found ‘la sua tavola’, possibly identical with the table top in pietre dure men- tioned in Strada’s account (BHStA-LA 4853, fol. 16–20; Stockbauer 1874, p. 33). The casket does not figure in the inventory of the Munich Schatzkammer, but it may perhaps have looked somewhat like the beautiful casket consisting of rock-crystal panels by Annibale Fontana depicting biblical scenes bought by Duke Albrecht for 6.000 scudi (Brunner 1970, pp. 158–159, cat. nr. 321). 79 Whatever Stopio in his envy of Strada may have insinuated, Titian must have had good reasons for painting Strada’s portrait and presenting him with the Pomona. Apart from whatever services in profitable transactions he expected Strada to perform, he may well have appreciated the acuteness, energy and enthusiasm that he caught so well in his por- trait. Moreover, in view of Strada’s affluence at the time, it remains perfectly possible that he actually paid for them.