Seite - 194 - in Jacopo Strada and Cultural Patronage at the Imperial Court - The Antique as Innovation, Band 1

Chapter 4194 would be prepared to take on that task, on the condition that—subject to the Archduke’s own wishes—he would be solely in charge, that is, only: in case Your Excellency is willing to charge me with [the supervision of] the whole project, and that I am to direct it [comandare], and that I have no other supervisor [sopra capo] than Your Excellency.9 This condition clearly indicates the confidence Strada had in his own capaci- ties and the recognition of these by prospective patrons: in fact he trusted that the Archduke knew his name and had seen the numismatic works he had pro- vided to Hans Jakob Fugger’s library. In addition, he indicated that he possessed materials that could be of use in the conception and the design of the object: I also possess many beautiful things that could be of use for the project, in particular a most beautiful book of animals in colour; also I could find you many [images of] rare fishes, which could be used for the rivers<…>.10 This is a valuable hint as to the function of Strada’s Musaeum, which was thus not merely a collection of objects of material value and of aesthetic or scien- tific interest, but which was intended to fulfil quite practical needs, and could, he thought, be of great use in the artistic and scientific enterprises both of himself and of his patrons. Strada’s evaluation of his prospects appears to have been quite correct, since the Archduke wrote by return of post to Jamnitzer to ask Strada to come to Prague to discuss the project, when he ‘would graciously hear him, and thereupon condescend to open our minder further [to him].11 He also desired Strada take with him the books and other things that might be useful for the project. Jamnitzer answered the Archduke that Strada would arrive in Prague at Candlemas (2 February) as requested, and that he also would bring with him a quantity of ‘geschmelzte dierlein’, small animals cast in silver, that Jamnitzer had had made by one of his assistants.12 9 ‘Pero volendo Sua Excellenza darmi il carico di tutto, et ch’io abbia a comandare, et che non conoschi altro sopra capo che Sua Excellenza<...>’. 10 ‘Et anchora mi truova di molte belle cose che per essa servirebbe, e massime un libro de animali colorito belissimo; ancora li trovaria di molti pessi rari, che servirebbe per li fiumi<...>’. 11 DOCS. 1557-01-07: ‘auch ine gnediglich gern hören und darauf unser verrer gemuet mit gnaden eröffnen’. 12 DOCS. 1557-01-07 and 1557-01-27. The group consisted of an ‘Orpheus sampt den thirlein und kreitlein’, Orpheus with small animals and plants’; they were intended as a sample