Page - 865 - in Jacopo Strada and Cultural Patronage at the Imperial Court - The Antique as Innovation, Volume 2

865Agent of Change: Imperial Antiquary and Architect ‘learned’ style based on a very extensive knowledge of antique monumental architecture, figurative motifs and decorative schemes. It was an ornamental, ‘stylish’ Mannerism as defined by John Shearman—though perhaps in Strada’s case the stylishness comes sometimes close to pedantry.47 His personal style is best exemplified in his splendid designs for his printer’s marks, the ornamen- tal title pages of his numismatic manuscripts and the festival designs which can be attributed to him. On occasion these include designs of which the styl- ish, architectural simplicity seems to prefigure the severe Neoclassicism of the early nineteenth century [Fig. 16.4]. In architectural design, the field in which he probably was most talented, his efforts were rooted in a sophisticated comprehension of the Vitruvian architecture of the Roman High Renaissance, in particular that of Raphael and Giulio. They resulted in elegant designs which can be richly ornamented—as in his design for the Munich Antiquarium and in many of the reconstructions of ancient monuments based on coin reverses in his numismatic albums— but which are equally, or even more effective when devoid of ornament. This is evident in the designs for his own house and that for the Stallburg in Vienna, which is the next best candidate for an attribution to Strada, both as to its conception, its detailing and the timing of its planning.48 A typical characteristic of his architecture is the recurrent use of coupled columns or pilasters, a motif which is relatively rare in sixteenth-century architecture, but can be found in both the exterior and the interior articulation of Strada’s An- tiquarium designs, and in the façade of his own house. Its use in the interior and exterior elevations of the Vienna Neugebäude is the most forceful stylistic argument for his decisive participation in the design process of that extraordi- nary creation. 16.6.2 Talent Spotting and Networking Though not a great creative artist, Strada appears to have had an exquisite taste, a sensitive eye and an intellectual comprehension of the artistic achieve- ments of his time. He also seems to have had a nose to find out and employ as- sociates and collaborators still recognized today as leading representatives of their respective disciplines in all the places where he was active. Examples in- clude, in Nuremberg: Wenzel Jamnitzer and later Jost Amman; in Lyon: Serlio, Bernard Salomon and Guillaume du Choul; in Rome: Antonio Agustín, Onofrio 47 Shearman 1967/1977, especially Ch. 1. 48 Cf. above, Chs. 7 and 6.5.