Mottoes and Devices of the Sforza

Rosanne

Hi Huck, how do you come to the idea that Sforza did not use the Dog by pine tree before 1462? In the Fountain in the wall in Sforza Castle, that symbol was put on the fountain 1452 (apparently) before the internal courtyards were improved. The wall fountain was the domestic water supply of the Visconti and you can see the Visconti symbols underneath. Do you have different information?

~Rosanne
 

Huck

Rosanne said:
Hi Huck, how do you come to the idea that Sforza did not use the Dog by pine tree before 1462? In the Fountain in the wall in Sforza Castle, that symbol was put on the fountain 1452 (apparently) before the internal courtyards were improved. The wall fountain was the domestic water supply of the Visconti and you can see the Visconti symbols underneath. Do you have different information?

~Rosanne
Click to expand...

I've read this in context of the coin with dog, not in other context.
But thinking about it ...
A water supply of the castle would be essential (so surely early), not the decoration (the fountain with devices). I've read, that Sforza didn't live in the castle, when in Milan, but Galeazzo did (I can't judge, if this is true). But it seems logical to assume a lot of necessary building activities, which easily might have taken some years ... and Sforza would have had some other places to live, no doubt.

I gave link and picture in the straw hat debate:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explor...ects/cm/f/four_gold_ducats_of_the_sforza.aspx
image00074.jpg
 

Huck

Said to be an outlook at the 16th century Sforza castle ...

Chateau.Milan.png


With the much water quite another impression. One understands now better, that Filippo Maria Visconti always traveled along the channels.

It seems, that the different parts of the castle were disconnected by water, which could be crossed only with the help of bridges. Somehow a special view on the fearful Filippo Maria Visconti, who changed the rooms in the night to get greater safety.

In the fountain-question: no difficulties to get water there. But not naturally drinking water.
 

Rosanne

Francesco live in the Pavia Castle and commuted.....:D
Galeazzo Maria lived in the stables of the Sforza castle apparently and was very mean with household money until the apartments were ready in the Castle.
He was a bad son. Soon he was a dead son.
The coin? I thought Francesco Sforza's image was the first for a Ducat? Can't remember where I read that. I have no idea about the Dog and Tree coin. Wasn't there a silver famine then?
~Rosanne
 

Huck

Rosanne said:
The coin? I thought Francesco Sforza's image was the first for a Ducat? Can't remember where I read that.
Click to expand...

Me said so, and that's also in the article.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explor...ects/cm/f/four_gold_ducats_of_the_sforza.aspx
Realistic, characterized portraiture on coin designs was the clearest sign of the shift from medieval to modern coinage. New, larger silver coins helped this, but it had already begun in the 1450s on traditional ducat-sized gold coins. The impetus came from enthusiasm for classical antiquity (particularly the example of coins from ancient Rome) and the skill of Renaissance artists.

The phenomenon first arose in Italy in the duchy of Milan, where the pretensions of the Milanese princes was a further catalyst. Francesco Sforza's ducats were the first portrait coins of Italy, as well as being an important regional coinage in the north. They first appeared in 1462.
Click to expand...
 

Rosanne

Huck said:
Me said so, and that's also in the article.
Click to expand...

Ahhhh...sorry :D My head is full of Chess queens at the moment, I don't leap as easily as you. I have to make lists and tick items off...now you have gone and added to the list.....

~Rosanne
 

Huck

... .-) ... it's a complex theme.
 

Rosanne

Thank you very much- I had no idea what that device was- but it did look like a brush of some sort. Good to know the meaning too!

~Rosanne
 

Huck

Indeed ... "The motto “Merito et tempore” (with merit and with time) and the brush, referring to Moro’s intention to clean all Italian cities of all ugliness, hang on the wall." ... a nice finding.

1636%20Scuola%20lombarda.JPG


The Sforza fountain has it not ...

The church door at San Sigismondo has it.

cremona1.jpg


... so likely later than the fountain.

Do you know all the 6 signs at the door, Marco? I can't interpret two them.
 
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