Costanzo da Ferrara

Second medal of the sultan Mehmet II, with mention "Byzantii Imperatoris 1481", made by Costanzo da Ferrara (1450-1524).

Costanzo da Ferrara (1450–1524) was an Italian painter and medalist, born in Ferrara, but working mainly in Naples.[1]

Costanzo was asked to go to Constantinople, capital of the Ottoman Empire, to make a portrait of the sultan Mehmet II.[1] Diplomatic relations were restored with the Ottoman Empire after the Ottoman offensive on Negroponte in 1470.[1] At that point, the sultan asked for "uno pittore de quelli dal canto di qua" (a painter from over here).[1] Ferdinand I of Naples (1423–1494), recognizing the Ottoman ruler, commissioned the work.[2]

Costanzo da Ferrara probably resided in Istanbul during the period 1475 to 1478, and may have remained there until the death of the Sultan in 1481.[1] Two medals were minted in the name of the Sultan, one with "Asie et Gretie imperator", the other with "Bizantii imperator".[2][3]

Costanzo da Ferrara is also known to have been back in Naples in 1485, where he painted a portrait of Ferdinando d'Este.[1] Some paintings attributed to Gentile Bellini in Constantinople, may actually have been made by Costanzo da Ferrara.[1][4][5]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Costanzo da Ferrara". www.nga.gov. National Art Gallery.
  2. ^ a b Viallon, Marie (15 October 2011). "La lettre à Mehmet II ou le loup et l'agneau". Cahiers d'études italiennes (in French) (13): 129–139. doi:10.4000/cei.81. ISSN 1770-9571.
  3. ^ RABY, J. (1987). "Pride and Prejudice: Mehmed the Conqueror and the Italian Portrait Medal". Studies in the History of Art. 21: 171–194. ISSN 0091-7338. JSTOR 42620181.
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  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference JR176 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).