Seite - 872 - in Jacopo Strada and Cultural Patronage at the Imperial Court - The Antique as Innovation, Band 2

Chapter 16872 I would be astounded if he would have studied so much in 12 or 15 years; he has well studied how to serve his own interests, and how to deceive in places where he has found good-natured, credulous and sympathetic people, God forgive him<…>55 It is this same sentiment—or resentment—which Stopio later ascribed to Ti- tian in an often quoted passage describing Strada’s dealings with Titian: ‘two gluttons at one plate’, as Stopio has it.56 In view of Strada’s occasionally extreme behaviour, it is perfectly possible that Titian had mixed feelings about Strada, and expressed his reservations to some of his friends. But one should note that Stopio only reported this at second hand, and that he only reported what he had wished to hear; he would have ignored anything positive Titian may also have said about Strada. The very fact that Titian conceded to paint Strada’s portrait—his very last—and that he presented him with another painting ap- parently as a gift, and engaged in other business transactions with him, are sufficient indication that he in fact must have respected and trusted Strada. Pope-Hennessy’s discussion of the portrait follows Stopio’s suggestion that he deceived his patrons for financial gain, laying it on thickly, using words as ‘duplicity’ and ‘guile’. There can be no doubt that Strada expected to make mon- ey by his transactions, as any merchant would have. It is also true that there ap- pears to have been a rumour that he made Duke Albrecht pay prices that were too high. This rumour was probably started by Stopio, who in his letters to Fug- ger constantly claimed that he could have bought the same or similar things for less money. But the shipments he himself did provide turned out to be very 55 Stopio to Fugger, Venice 8 June 1567, BHStA-LA 4852, f. 32/26: ‘<…>Tutto questo dico sol perche Vostra Signoria mi scrisse già, che’l e tenuto per uno de primi antiquarii intelli- genti di Europa. Mi maravegliaro se in 12 o 15 anni haveva studiato tanto, l’ha ben studiato ch’l ha saputo fare il fatto suo, et cacciare carotte in luoco dove ha trovato le persone di buona natura creduli et amorevoli, Iddio li perdoni<…>‘. 56 Stopio to Fugger, Venice 29 February 1568, BHStA-LA 4852, f. 153/145: ‘Il Titiano et lui sono doi giotti a un tagliero: Strada li fa fare il suo ritratto, ma vi stara sopra ben ancora un anno, et se in questo mezzo il Strada non li farà li servicij che desidera, non l’havera mai compito: già S. Titiano ha affectato per havere ò in dono ò per li suoi dinari una fodra di gibbelini, et per questo vorrebbe mandare non so che a l’Imperatore; il Strada li da spe- ranze per cavarli il ritratto dalle mani, sed surdo narrat fabellam. Ma ben è da ridere che l’laltro giorno dimandando un gentilhuomo molto intrinseco di S. Titiano, et mio amicis- simo, che cosa li pareva del Strada; rispose subito il S. Titiano, il Strada è uno delli solenni ignoranti che si possa trovare, lui non sa niente, ma bisogna haver ventura, et sapersi accomodare alle nature delle persone, come ha fatto il Strada in Alemagna, dove caccia tante carotte a quelli Todeschi quanto si può imaginare, et loro come reali di natura non conoscono la dopiezza di questo galant’huomo. Queste furono le parole di S. Titiano, hora V.S. consideri in che conto l’habia ancora lui.’