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 8 th 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. Mtiller-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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