RKD STUDIES

Van Gelder’s social network was composed of several people: the carver Fra Carlo Guastuzzi, Sgr Giacomo Galuppi, Ferdinand, Count of Harrach, and the doctor Antonio Ferrarini. In this specific case, archival research allowed us to gain new insights into the lives of these people.

Carlo Guastuzzi was born in Bologna in the early 17th century and died in 1697. In the letters examined in Novellara he signed himself as carver, and also as servita, since he belonged to the Order of the Servants of Mary, called serviti. In the service of the Este family from 1642 to 1666 and perhaps even after that, he made ‘the most beautiful carved and gilded frames of the ducal gallery’.¹ In 1648 he also started to work in the churches of San Francesco and San Giuseppe, in the convent of the Servi di Maria friars in Sassuolo, in the church of Santa Maria del Ponte in Formigine, in the sanctuary of the Beata Vergine del Castello in Fiorano,² and in the Cathedral of Modena (Chapel of the Relics).³ Finally, in 1687, he designed the new tower of the church of San Giorgio in Sassuolo.⁴

The documents examined during our research indicated that he also worked for the court of Novellara: the letters sent from Modena to the Count are mostly concerned with updates on the works and requests for money to pay his assistants.⁵ For the court he also created frames for paintings and mirrors (at 5 doble each) [23],⁶ ornamental designs, table legs (at 3 doppie each)[24]⁷ and an important commission for an altarpiece (for which the carver had to create the frame, at 50 doble).⁸ And a letter from Jan van Gelder to Camillo III records that Guastuzzi realised for our painter a little silver box to keep two portraits, one of them on copper.⁹

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AGN, Amministrazione I serie b. 44. Novellara, February 20th, 1668. Courtesy of Historical Archive, Novellara (photo: Jasmine Habcy)

Giacomo Galuppi on the other hand was an employee of the court. In the letters we found that in 1666 he received 30 lire for the provision of meat in October and November.¹⁰ As an agent of Alfonso II he also had various roles, such as managing payments and general economic issues. As we have seen, he paid Van Gelder only after his requests for help. In addition he supervised the payment of money to Guastuzzi together with Doctor Ferrarini, and in the Count’s presence he paid the friar for the carved altarpiece [25].¹¹ He was also in charge of organising Alfonso II’s trips, considering every possible need: he was responsible for horses and food supplies.¹² He was involved in judicial matters as well, as when he had to solve problems concerning his subordinates.¹³ Finally, he carried out several tasks for both Alfonso II and his wife Ricciarda Cybo Gonzaga (1622–1683), such as going to Reggio Emilia to buy silk [26r-26v].¹⁴

Ferdinand Bonaventura I von Harrach (1636–1706), son of Alfonso II’s sister Lavinia Gonzaga and Otto von Harrach, was the Count of Novellara’s nephew. The Von Harrach counts were among the most influential families of the Habsburg Empire, so Ferdinand wrote most of the time from Vienna, the capital city. In a letter dated 7 February 1666¹⁵ he wrote to his uncle about his return from Madrid (as imperial ambassador to Spain), and about another important event: shortly after his departure, the King of Spain, Charles II of Habsburg (1661–1700) – whose young age made his mother Marianna d’Austria (1634–1696) act as regent – appointed him knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece [27].

Antonio Ferrarini was, like Giacomo Galuppi, a member of the court: he was one of the doctors on whom both Alfonso II and his son Camillo III relied in moments of need.¹⁶ We can see from a document dated 30 April 1667 that he received a regular salary: he was paid 533 lire for four months of work (from December 1666 to the date of the document).¹⁷ He served as agent: at court he was not only in charge of medical matters but he also commissioned works of art on behalf of Alfonso II, as we saw from Van Gelder’s letter. He was also responsible for economic matters relating to works of art, as in the case of the frame for the altarpiece made by Guastuzzi [28r-28v].¹⁸ At the same time he was involved in matters concerning weddings, as when he assumed the role of mediator between the Count and the Governor of Reggio Silvio Molza for the wedding of his daughter.¹⁹

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AGN, Corrispondenza b. 299. Ferdinando d’Harrach to Alfonso II Gonzaga. Vienna, February 7th, 1666. Courtesy of Historical Archive, Novellara (photo: Jasmine Habcy)