Un pittore fiammingo al servizio dei Gonzaga di Novellara. Jan van Gelder (1621-1685)

The essay by Lidia Righi, Notes on Jan van Gelder. Flemish painter at the Este court (Deputation of History Homeland for the ancient provinces of Modena, Acts and Memories, s. XI, v. I, 1979, pp. 141-158), is the first contribution that deals systematically and in-depth with the activity of the Flemish Jan Van Gelder as court painter of the Estensi, through a careful study of the documents kept at the State Archive of Modena. Starting from a suggestion of Righi, which refers to the relationships between the painter and the count Alfonso II Gonzaga of Novellara, the contribution wants to examine in depth the artist’s activity at the service of the court of Novellara. In particular, a series of unpublished documents kept at the Historical Archive of Novellara, included in the correspondence, registers and payment orders, will analyze the work done by Van Gelder, between the years 1666 and 1676, for the count Alfonso II Gonzaga and for his son Camillo III through the artist's network and the works of art he made for the court.