BIANCA SFORZA 



of his especial affection. Before she was a year old, on 

 the 29th of April, 1483, he made a will, settling 

 12,000 ducats on her, and six years later he took the 

 further step of proclaiming her legitimacy, by virtue of 

 a ducal decree issued at Vigevano on the 8th of 

 November, 1489. By this time Lodovico's own 

 marriage with Beatrice d'Este had been arranged, 

 although its completion was delayed, owing to his new 

 liaison with the beautiful and accomplished Cecilia 

 Gallerani. He now promised Bianca's hand to his 

 favourite, Galeazzo di San Severino, whom Dr. Miiller- 

 Walde assumes to be the original of the unfinished 

 portrait by Ambrogio de Predis which forms the 

 companion-piece to that of Bianca in the Ambrosiana. 

 In the absence of authentic portraits or medals of the 

 hero, it is impossible to say if this supposition is correct, 

 but the handsome and sensitive face agrees with all we 

 know of Bianca's husband. The musical notes in the 

 background, that were brought to light by Signor 

 Cavenaghi when he cleaned the portrait, are by no 

 means incompatible with Dr. Miiller-Walde's theory, 

 since Lodovico's favourite was noted for his love 

 of music and poetry. A son of Robert di San 

 Severino, the valiant Condottiere who was by turn 

 Lodovico's staunchest ally and his most deadly 

 foe, and of his Sienese wife, Lucrezia Malavolti, 

 Galeazzo was related to the ducal house through 



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