oa.

That year the festival of Christmas was celebrated with great joy and
splendour at the court of Milan. After the troubled times of the last
twelve months, after the dangers which had threatened the very existence
of the State, and brought the noise of war to the gates of Vigevano,
peace and tranquillity were once more restored, and another era of
unclouded prosperity seemed about to dawn. Now that poor Giangaleazzo
was dead, and Louis of Orleans had once more crossed the Alps, there was
no one to dispute Lodovico's title or to prevent his son from eventually
succeeding him on the throne. Once more he and Beatrice were free to
devote themselves to the encouragement of learning and poetry, of
painting and architecture; to watch Bramante and Leonardo at work, or
read Dante and Petrarch together.

That winter the altar-piece of the Brera, containing the portraits of
the duke and his family, was painted by Zenale or some other Lombard
master, for the church of S. Ambrogio in Nemo. Here the Madonna and
Child are enthroned in the centre of the picture; the four Fathers of
the Church, Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory, stand on either
side; and in the foreground, kneeling at the foot of the throne, are the
Duke and Duchess of Milan, with their two children. The Christ-child
turns towards Lodovico, and St. Ambrose, the protector and patron saint
of Milan, lays his hand on the shoulder of the duke, as, clad in rich
brocades and wearing a massive gold chain round his neck, he clasps his
hands in prayer. And the gentle Madonna stretches out her hand lovingly
towards Beatrice, who kneels at her feet, with the long coil of twisted
hair, and the pearls on her head and neck, and her favourite knots of
ribbons fluttering from her shoulders or falling over the velvet stripes
of her yellow satin robe. Close at her side is the infant prince,
Francesco Sforza, with his baby face and swaddled clothes; while
opposite, kneeling at his father's side, is the handsome little Count of
Pavia. Here, at least, there is no doubt that we have authentic
portraits of both Lodovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este, the reigning Duke
and Duchess of Milan, towards the close of the year 1495. There is no
mistaking the long black hair, the refined features, and long nose of
the Moro, while in Beatrice's features we recognize the same youthful
and child-like charm that mark her countenance in Cristoforo Romano's
bust or Solari's effigy in the Certosa of