hness,
and I kiss your hand, my dearest mother.

"Your obedient servant and child,
BEATRICE SFORTIA DA ESTE,
with _my own_ hand.[34]

To the most illustrious Lady my dearest Mother,
Signora Duchessa di Ferrara."

The baby's portrait was forwarded to Mantua for Isabella's inspection,
together with a letter from her mother, saying--

"I enclose a drawing which has been sent to us from Milan, to show how
well our grandson thrives, and certainly, if we have been already told
how flourishing he is, this gives us a living witness to his beauty and
well-being. And if you ask me whether the portrait is a good one, I need
only tell you who has sent it and who is the master who has done this
drawing, and then I am sure you will be satisfied."

Leonora's words excite our wonder as to who the artist could be whose
name of itself would be enough to satisfy Isabella of the excellence of
the work. As Signor Luzio has already remarked,[35] it is impossible to
read these words without thinking that Leonardo must have been the
artist employed by Lodovico on this occasion to take a sketch of his
infant son. But the drawing of Ercole has vanished, and the painter's
name remains unknown.

Another name which recurs frequently in Beatrice's letters to both her
mother and sister at this time, is that of a Spanish embroiderer, named
Maestro Jorba, noted for his rare skill, who was in the service of the
Duchess of Ferrara, and was left by her at Vigevano in April, to design
hangings and gowns for Lodovico's wife. On the 14th of March, Jorba was
sent back to Ferrara with a letter from Beatrice to her mother,
expressing her satisfaction with his work; and in April, Leonora sent
her a new design for a _camora_ which the clever Spaniard had invented.

"I have to-night," wrote Beatrice in reply, "received the design of the
_camora_ made by Jorba, which I admire very much, and have just shown it
to my embroiderer, as your Highness advised. He remarks that the flowers
of the pattern are all the same size, and since the _camora_ will
naturally be cut narrower above than below, the flowers ought to be
altered in the same proportion. I have not yet decided what will be the
best thing to do, but thought I would tell you what Schavezi says, and
wait to hear what you advise, and then do whatever you think best."

Later in th