Studiolo of the Palazzo Belfiore

The Studiolo of the Palazzo Belfiore was a former study, or room for intellectual pursuits, that was once found in a razed Renaissance palace in Ferrara, region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy. While the palace has disappeared, records do list the paintings, consisting of depictions of muses, that hung in the room. These secular works are now dispersed across museums, but their collective presences recall the renewed attention of Renaissance patrons to symbols from classic mythology.

The palace, like the Palazzo Schifanoia, is described now a delizia of the Este dynasty, which are now considered semi-rural palaces for the enjoyment of delights. The palace was commissioned in 1447 by Leonello d'Este but completed by Borso d'Este around 1463. The exact layout of the palace, located near the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli is unknown, since in 1483, it was severely damaged by the besieging Venetian armies, and a fire in 1683 completed the destruction.

Domenico da Piacenza is reputed to have taught in the Palazzo and choreographed the three-person ballo named Belfiore in its honor.[1]

  1. ^ Stanford Historical Dance Week Closing Ball: Belfiore (Renaissance Dance), retrieved 2021-09-16