Isabella d'Este
Daughter of Ercole I d'Este and wife of Francesco II Gonzaga, Isabella d'Este was called 'the First Lady of the Renaissance' by her contemporaries. Governess of Mantua during her husband's captivity (1509) and her son's minority, she was among the most powerful women in Italy. Her studiolo in the Ducal Palace was a marvel of humanist design; her correspondence with artists, princes, and scholars runs to thousands of letters. She commissioned works from Mantegna, Perugino, Leonardo, and Titian, assembling one of the finest private art collections of the age.
- Nationality: Italian
- Roles: marchioness, patron of arts, diplomat
