Michelangelo's Leda: the diplomatic context

In 1529, Alfonso d'Este of Ferrara commissioned a work from Michelangelo; the artist painted the famous Leda but the picture was sent to France, not Ferrara. Why did Michelangelo make the painting – when he claimed to be no painter – and why did the patron never receive his picture? These vexing questions lead us to consider the intrigue and conflicting loyalties that characterized Florentine‐Ferrarese political relations. The author examines the extensive diplomatic correspondence between Ferrara and Florence, and argues that the Leda was a diplomatic gift and a painting of calculated dynastic flattery intended to elicit Alfonsols desperately needed support during Florence's Last Republic (1527–30).