Vittoria Colonna: Art patronage and religious reform in sixteenth-century Rome

This dissertation examines Vittoria Colonna's (ca. 1490-1547) interest in the arts within the context of sixteenth-century humanism and Church reform. In addition, the concept of patronage as it is understood today is explored, and it is suggested that this concept excludes many individuals who commissioned works of art, especially women; evidence is presented for an alternative strategy of patronage by women.;The manner in which Vittoria Colonna acquired works of art, that is, through male members of her extended family, does not follow the generally recognized pattern of Renaissance patronage, yet it follows other acts of female authority. This process will be examined in chapters three and four, which detail Colonna's acquisition of a painting by Titian and her patronage of a Capuchin foundation in Rome. These projects indicate that from the 1530s, Colonna turned her attention to religious matters as a way of seeking a sort of independence for herself within her family, as well as strength for the Colonna. With the exile of the male members of the Colonna family from Rome in 1541, Vittoria's work on behalf of the Capuchins takes on a resonance suggesting her new role as representative of the Colonna in exile.;Chapter four examines the legend and reality of Vittoria Colonna's friendship with Michelangelo. It is this period of her life, roughly 1536 until her death in 1547, that is best documented by both her contemporaries as well as later scholars. This abundance of documentation warrants a new evaluation in light of what is now known of Colonna's interest in the arts. Contrary to standard accounts of this period of Colonna's life, she continued to be active in religious reform and charitable projects. It is possible to examine Colonna's friendship with Michelangelo as an attempt on the part of both to forge a renewed relationship between religion and art in the name of Church reform.;Chapter one examines the state of patronage studies with respect to women in the Renaissance. Included is a biography of Colonna to outline the structure of her familial and social positions. Chapter two focusses on portraits of Colonna, particularly medals and an author-portrait, as well as the painted portraits which bear her name. When viewed as part of courtly and humanist life, the medals suggest something of Colonna's interest in self-representation. Moreover, within the context of her letters and poetry, these images indicate Colonna's interpretation of the Renaissance passion for classical antiquity. The personal expressions of the medals are in contrast to the author-portrait of around 1540. The fashioning of this image, probably not commissioned by Colonna, suggests that the legend of Vittoria Colonna started during her lifetime, in part as a response to her own statements about herself.