Page - 843 - in Jacopo Strada and Cultural Patronage at the Imperial Court - The Antique as Innovation, Volume 2

843Agent of Change: Imperial Antiquary and Architect He explicitly promised the King to do his utmost ‘per farmi honore’, in order to enhance the splendour of Ferdinand’s court, an implication that is repeated in Strada’s accompanying letter to Ferdinand’s first chamberlain, Martín de Guzmán: <…>certainly, wherever I will find myself, I will always be the most affec- tionate [servant] of the House of Austria, and will expend my property and my honour for its sake whenever I can.17 It also helps to explain why, when Strada was building his grand new house in order to ‘farmi honore’, the Emperor allowed him the use of materials from the Imperial building works, recognizing that Strada’s enterprise would contribute to the splendour of Vienna and his court. He was not mistaken in this, witness the praise it received from high-placed visitors such as the Duke of Ferrara and the diplomat Hubert Languet. All this strongly suggests that Strada’s independent activities as such were among the reasons the Emperors appreciated his service at their court. They not only expected to make use of Strada’s expertise in their own projects, but also recognized that his presence in Vienna and that of the small but splendid cultural centre, his Musaeum, would—at little cost to themselves—stimulate erudite and artistic endeavour in general, and thus increase both the ‘tone’ and the renown of their court. 16.4 ‘Ex Musaeo Iacobi de Strada’: Study, Studio, Workshop, Office, Showroom 16.4.1 Museum, Studio, Workshop Strada’s Musaeum was essential to his ambition to document, study and ex- ploit the legacy of Antiquity, and to disseminate its best qualities as exempli- fied in the most outstanding works of contemporary art. The importance he attached to his library and collection is already evident in the title page of the la tengo, con aver messo insieme varie cose belle et rare per servirla, non senza spesa, e di questo la Maestà Vostra ne a visto bona parte et ancora lo Illustrissimo et Reverendis- simo Signor il Signor Cardinale di Augusta [= Otto Truchsess von Waldburg, Cardinal- Archbishop of Augsburg]’, Jacopo Strada to Ferdinand i, King of the Romans, Nuremberg, 21 Februari 1558, Vienna (Doc. 1558-02-21(a)). 17 ‘Et certo dov’io sarò et mi trovarò, sempre sarò efitionatissimo a la Casa d’Austria, et spenderò la robba et l’honore per Lei dove potrò’, Jacopo Strada to Martín de Guzmán, Nuremberg, 21 February 1558 (Doc. 1558-02-21(b)).