a's life, for from that time it took a special religious turn. It
did not, however, degenerate into bigotry or fanaticism; this was
prevented by the vigorous Alfonso and her children, and by her court
duties. The war had deprived Ferrara of much of its brilliancy, although
it was still one of the most attractive of the princely courts of Italy.
During the following years of peace Alfonso devoted himself to the
cultivation of the arts. The most famous masters of Ferrara--Dossi,
Garofalo, and Michele Costa--worked for him in the castle, in
Belriguardo, and Belfiore. Titian, who was frequently a guest in
Ferrara, executed some paintings for him, and the duke likewise gave
Raphael some commissions. He even founded a museum of antiquities. In
Lucretia's cabinet there was a Cupid by Michael Angelo. The predilection
of the duchess for the fine arts, however, was not very strong; in this
respect she was not to be compared with her sister-in-law, Isabella of
Mantua, who maintained constant relations with all the prominent artists
of the age and had her agents in all the large cities of Italy to keep
her informed regarding noteworthy productions in the domain of the arts.

From 1513 Ferrara's brilliancy was somewhat dimmed by the greater fame
of the court of Leo X. The passion of this member of the Medici family
for the arts attracted to Rome the most brilliant men of Italy, among
whom were the poets Tebaldeo, Sadoleto, and Bembo--the last became Leo's
secretary. Both the Strozzi were dead. Aldo, upon whose career as a
printer and scholar during his early years Lucretia had not been without
influence, was living in Venice, and from there he kept up a literary
correspondence with his patroness. Celio Calcagnini remained true to
Ferrara. The university continued to flourish. Lucretia was very
friendly with the noble Venetian, Trissino, Ariosto's not altogether
successful rival in epic poetry. There are in existence five letters
written by Trissino to Lucretia in her last years.[229] Ferrara's pride,
however, was Ariosto, and Lucretia knew him when he was at the zenith of
his fame. He, however, dedicated his poem neither to her nor to Alfonso,
but to the unworthy Cardinal Ippolito, in whose service a combination of
circumstances had placed him. No princely house was ever glorified more
highly than was the house of Este by Ariosto, for the _Orlando Furioso_
will cause it to be remembered for all time; so long as the Italian
language e