Seite - 105 - in Jacopo Strada and Cultural Patronage at the Imperial Court - The Antique as Innovation, Band 1

105Travel—Wenzel Jamnitzer Pope’s more or less remote heirs, such as his nephew, Saint Carlo Borromeo, Car- dinal-archbishop of Milan. Its manner is rather more classicist than was usual for Jamnitzer, probably one argument for it being dated around 1565. But this might equally well be explained by Strada’s participation in its design, which is quite Italianate—if not outright Italian. Its most distinct feature, the female head dec- orating—or rather constituting—the neck of the ewer, can be found elsewhere among the goldsmiths’ designs collected by Strada and copied in his workshop.81 2.5.6 Conclusion: Strada an Entrepreneur Rather Than a Goldsmith Strada’s commission from the Marquis of Marignano; his close relationship with Wenzel Jamnitzer, who proposed him as a designer for an important commission for Archduke Ferdinand ii of Tirol; and the collection of designs for goldsmith’s work from various Italian masters he built up and had copied in his libri di disegni: all these together perhaps do not prove, yet they make it extremely likely that Strada regularly acted as a purveyor of works of the goldsmith’s art to high-ranking patrons. Though he had received some train- ing as a goldsmith, in general he would not himself have executed any of the works commissioned from him, except perhaps for trifles such as casts from ancient coins etc. Rather he would have acted as an intermediary or broker between patron and artist. He would have played an active role in the grander commissions: discussing purpose, iconography and style of the piece with the patron; providing sketches and perhaps finished designs; selecting and super- vising the masters charged with its execution, and at least occasionally advanc- ing  the  money—either to the patron or to the master employed—to undertake the  project. It is a pity that we have no clue as to Strada’s private finances, but there can be no doubt that he was a merchant, an entrepreneur, a businessman, as much as he was a scholar and an artist, and that the Musaeum he brought together in his spectacular house in Vienna served at least in part as stock- in-trade. As such, he was particularly well placed to represent his old neighbour and collaborator Wenzel Jamnitzer at the Imperial court, not only informally paving the way for new commissions extended by the Emperors and mem- bers of their family, but also passing down smaller commissions from mem- bers of their court and dealing in ready made objects—such as silver cups and plates, all sorts of jewellery, medals and scientific instruments—for which the Nuremberg craftsmen were famous. 81 Cf. önb-hs, Cod. min. 21,3, fols. 417/ 126r. and 419/128r, both satyr’s heads integrated in the neck of a vase. Other anthropomorphic forms are very common among the designs from the Stradas’ workshop.