User:Victorbevilaqua/ Bevilacqua Dynasty Timeline

New article name new article content ... CHRONOLOGY OF THE BEVILACQUA FAMILY

The Bevilaqua family ruled Lazise and Lake Garda before it was part of the dominion of Lasitium of Rome. In the ninth century, the Bevilaqua family built an imposing castle on the same sight as their family’s original ancient castle. The ancient castle was expanded and reinforced for protection from the marauding pirates. To gain the support of the Bevilacqua family, Emperor Otto I issued his Concessagli Decree in 962 which granted autonomy to the country of Lazise making it the first free Common of the Italians.

962 - Emperor Otto I made Antonio Bevilacqua Governor of Lake Garda and Lazise. Antonio reconstructed his castle which is now restored in Lazise’s Villa Bernini Park.

987 - A notarial instrument in the archives of Aquilea cites two Aquiline families of Paganichese origin. It records that Antonio Bevilacqua transferred one noble knight to Roscio of Paganica de Aquila.

1037 - A legal document registers land in Verona to Petrus Bevilacqua.

1050 - A deed in Ferrara registers land belonging to Gregorius Bevilacqua.

1056 - A deed shows that Gregorius Bevilacqua acquired more property in Ferrara.

1059 - Principality of Bevilacqua was established between Verona and Padova on May 7.

1060 - The Duke and Marques of Tuscany gave the Bevilaqua family property in an adjustment entitled, Comitatu Ariminensi in Villa Corbiano Bibensuquam on May 25.

1073 - Viviano Bevilacqua built the Church of San Giovanni de Gualberto and the Monastero for the Vallombrosani Benedictines on Mount Olive Grove in Verona.

1098 - A deed documents that Countess Matilde, daughter and heiress of Bonifacio Canossa, granted property to the Bevilacqua family in Reggio on July 3.

1136 - The Bevilacqua and DaRomano families defeated Count Alberto di Sambonifacio of Verona and the House of Canossa. This led to the first election of the consuls in 1136.

1142 - The Bevilacqua family reconstructed the Church of Saint Peter in Cantalvo of Bevilacqua to celebrate their victory over Padova.

1146 – A document in the Archives of Verona states "the Guillelmo Bevilacqua de Sancto Michaele to Portam Verone is the resolution of one argument between the bystanders in the Episcopal palace of Verona and Ugone chancellor and administrator of the church of Croce Saint and the leprous ones of the aforesaid hospital.”

1200 - Count and Marquis, Duke of Tornano Morando Bevilacqua was given command of the Ghibellini troops and defeated Count Traversari’s Guelph troops to retake the Terra d’ Argenta region of Ferrara for his family.

1202 - Migliore Bevilacqua, Morando’s only son, married Desiderata who was a descendant of the last Lombard King of Italy, Desiderius (756-774).

1230 - Morando Bevilacqua begins the foundation of Saint Anthony’s Church in Padua.

1259 - Morando’s grandson, Federico I, helped to bring the Scaligeri to power in Verona.

1260 - At the Battle at the Hill of Montaperti, the Florentines were defeated by the Siennese led by the Count of Arras, Count Zavarise Bevilacqua, and Bocca degli Abati.

1278 - Federico I rebuilt the family’s palace in the Saint Michele section of Verona, and their fifth century Church of Saint Apostoli with a chapel to Saint Tosca and Saint Teuteria.

1290 - Federico I expanded the Church of Saint Anthony in Padua.

1304 - Federico I’s oldest son, Guglielmo I (1272-1335), introduced Dante to the Court of the della Scala in Verona.

1316 – Dante stayed at Guglielmo I’s castle and palace for three years. Dante’s character Belacqua in the Purgatory was based on Guglielmo I’s life.

1331 - Guglielmo I amassed a fortune from his family’s forests. He was a member of the Court of della Scala in Verona, and Governor of Padua with hereditary citizenship.

1332 - Guglielmo I made Governor of Parma, General Fattore of the della Scala, and received hereditary control of the city of Minerbe.

1336 - Guglielmo I’s oldest son, Francesco II (1298-1368), became a Doctor of Jurisprudence, First Counsel, and Attorney General at the Court of the della Scala.

1342 - A document in the Archives of Verona states “Guglielmo, of the noble Veronese family of the Divine Bevilacqua originally of Ala is the Vassallo of the Bishop of Verona to the Court of the Scaligeri. The family grew of importance with Francisco II who was Ambassador of the Scaligeri and received great honors from the Visconti, the Carraresi, the Estense and from Pope Clemente VI.”

1348 - Francesco II formed the League of the Scagligeri against the Gonzagas. The League made him a Noble Hereditary Citizen of Venice and Ferrara, Ambassador to Milan and Germany, and a Knight of Verona. He donated Prince Francesco and Saint Giorgio and two baroque altars to the Church of San Giorgio in Marega.

1354 - Emperor Carlo IV gave Francesco II Manerbo, Saint Zenone, Saint Stefano, and Gazolo, because he and Cangrande II recaptured Verona from the della Scala.

1355 - Francesco II constructed the Scaligeri Bridge at the Castelvecchio. He also built the Chapels of Saint Guglielmo and Saint Francesco in the Church of the Apostoli.

1365 - Francesco II rebuilt the Castlevecchio, and was buried in a sarcophagus created by Bonino Campione in the Chapel of Saint Tosca and Teuteria in the Church of Saint Apostoli. His sarcophagus includes the Bevilacqua and Canossa coats of arms. 1367 - Francesco II’s oldest son, Guglielmo II (1334-1397), was a Knight of Verona, General of the Army, Secretary of State, and Chief Counsel. He married Taddea, the daughter of Maso Tarlati d’ Arezzo, Lord of Pietramala. The Tarlarti family commissioned Jacopo della Quercia to paint Virgin Mary, Piero della Francesca to paint the Madonna del Parto, and Giovanni Antonio Sogliani to paint his Last Supper. 1379 - Guglielmo II formed and his relative, Spinetta Malaspina, defeated Bernardo Visconti. The Treaty of Milan returned Verona to Guglielmo II and the della Scala.

1381 - Antonio della Scala murdered his brother Bartolomew so he could rule Verona. A Antonio della Scala sided with the Venetians and Bohemians and exiled Guglielmo II.

1387 - Guglielmo II entered Verona with 300 swordsmen, and Antonio Della Scala fled. Giancaleazzo Visconti became the ruler of Verona with Guglielmo II as his Consular.

1393 - Guglielmo II established the first peace treaty between his relatives, Carlo Malatesta and Antonio Montefeltro signed at Mondaino at the Roman Temple to Diana. 1405 - Guglielmo II’s son, Galeotto I, and Antonio Nogarola ruled Verona under the Venetian Republic. 1408 - Galeotto I, Leader of Arms for Duke of Milan Giancalezzo Visconti, defeated the Carraresi family, Lords of Padova. They had seized Cremona and the Bevilacqua Castle at Maccastorna. He was made a Knight of Venice by Doge Michele Steno, as a result. 1410 - Galleotto I was made Counselor to Filippo Maria Visconti of Milan, and Count of Maccastorna. Galeotto I later formed an alliance with Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Lord of Brescia, and the Duke of Milan who made him Vicegerent of Bergamo. 1412 - Galeotto I was made Commander of the Venetian Army and his brother, Leonardo I, was Captain. They defeated King Sigismondo of Hungary in Dalmatia, and received the cities of Cornogiovane, Cornovecchio, Maleo, Passone and Lardara as a reward. 1413 - Galeotto I became Attorney General for the Visconti, and married Leda of Conte Onoforio Smeducci and Francesca Simonetti. The Smeducci family was part of the della Scala family and ruled the area of San Severino since 1170. The Simonetti family was a prominent family of Milan, and donated the Simonetti Stairway to the Vatican Museum. 1419 - Galeotto I’s brother, Francesco III, was Leader in Arms for the Venetians against the Carraresi. He was made a Knight of Venice by Doge Michele Steno, and his widow, Dina, was the daughter of Francesco Pantaleon Brancaleoni, Lord of Casteldurante. Her mother was Petrella di Massa, the Countessa di Montefeltro. The Montefeltro family commissioned Raphael to paint Portrait of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, and Piero della Francesca to paint The Montefeltro Altarpiece. Francisco III’s son, Gian Francesco, married the grand daughter of Pope Gregorio XII. Giovanni, Gian Francesco’s son, was made a Knight of Venice. His son, Gregorio I, married Giovanni da Porto whose brother, Luigi, wrote Giuletta and Romeo from which Shakespeare wrote his play. 1425 - Galeotto I’s son, Onoforio I (1401-1469) was Councilman and Secretary of Milan. He married Emilia Roverella Pio the daughter of Lord Marco Pio and Baroness Lucrezia Roverella. The Pio family intermarried with the della Scala, Este and Farnese, and the Roverella family intermarried with the Malaspina and Gonzaga. They commissioned the Roverella Altarpiece by Cosme Tura. 1426 - Marquis Galeotto Malaspina, ruler of Tuscany, married Mattea of Francis Bevilacqua. The Malaspina had commissioned the construction of the Este Castle by Bartolino da Novara in 1370. In 1391, the family founded and built the University of Ferrara, and commissioned many famous artists (Pisanello, Jacopo Bellini, Rogier van der Weyden, and Andrea Mantegna) to turn Ferrara into a cultural center. Leon Battista, was utilized for the Malaspina palaces and monuments. Guarino Veronese was their children’s tutor. Matteo Boiardo, the poet, was the family’s minister. Ludovico Ariosto lived with the family to make Ferrara a cultural center of Europe. They were related to the de Medici, Borgia, Sforza, Gonzaga, Carrara, Massa, Bentivoglio, and Bevilacqua-Lazise’s families.

1436 - Count Guglielmo III Bevilacqua (1418-1486), Knight of the Imperial Army of Holy Roman Emperor Federico III, married Marquisa Paola Salviati Strozzi who was the daughter of Uberto Strozzi, Siniscalco of the Marquis of Mantova and Countessa Lucrezia Salviati. Guglielmo III’s mother was a descendant of Count Brancaleoni, patrons of Francesco di Goirgio Martini, and Count Montefeltro, patrons of Raphael. Lucrezia Salviati was related to Giovanni di Forese Salviati, the Gonfalonier of Florence in 1426 who married Valenza de’ Medici. Count Tomasso Strozzi was a great patron of Andrea and Nardo di Cione who painted the Strozzi Altarpiece in the fourteenth century. Count Palla di Noferi Strozzi was a major patron of Gentile da Fabriano and Fra Angelico. Count Lorenzo Strozzi commissioned Desiderio da Settignano to paint a portrait of his daughter, Marietta in 1460. Count Filippo Strozzi was the major patron of Benedetto da Maiano who built the Palazzo Strozzi in 1489, and carved the relief for his tomb. Filippo’s son was a major patron of Fillippino Lippi. Raphael painted the Portrait of Maddalena Strozzi for Agnolo Doni, her husband, in 1506. Later, Titian painted the Portrait of Countessa Clarissa Strozzi in 1542.

1437 – Count Giorgio Bevilacqua-Lazise is Isotta Nogarola’s patron and two of his letters are included in her book, Complete Works.

1459 - Galetto I and Francisco III Bevilacqua brokered another peace treaty between the Malatesta and Montefeltro. Three years later, Duke of Urbino Federico II Montefeltro defeated Duke of Rimini Sigismondo Malatesta and took Rimini and Mondaino. 1460 - Galeotto I’s son, Cristin Francesco (1399-1468) married Lucia of Bonafacio di Rinaldo Ariosto and Maddalena Sanvitale dei Conti Belforte. The Ariosto family was descended from the d’Este and Gualengo families. Their ancestors, Andrea Gualengo and Orsina d’Este appear in Taddeo Crivelli’s Saint Bellinus Celebrating Mass. The Sanvitale dei Belforte family ruled Parma since the thirteenth century, and was the primary benefactor and patron of Parmigiano. Cristin Francesco became Commander of Duke Francesco Sforza’s army; conquered Milan; and, was made a Knight by Holy Roman Emperor Federico. 1461 - Guglielmo III Bevilacqua (1418-1486), Francesco III’s son, was knighted by Gianfranco Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantova for being Leader in Arms of the Venetian Army, and Ambassador to Venice when Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily Federico III visited Mantova. Guglielmo III married Paola d’Uberto Strozzi di Mantova, and their daughter, Cecilia, married Gaspare Trissino. Cecilia and Gaspare’s child was the famous poet and linguistic scholar Giangiorgio Trissino (1478-1550) who wrote Sofonisba and created the Accademia of Vicenza and the Accademia Olimpica. Giangiorgio hired Peter of the Gondola family to help with the construction of his palace, and gave him the nickname Palladio. 1463 - Cristin Francesco’s son, Gherardo I Bevilacqua (1414-1483) married the daughter of Giovanni Bentivoglio, the Lord of Bologna, and Francesca Gozzadini. Gherardo I founded the town of Palata outside of Bologna where he built the Abbey of Nanantola de’ Benedettini and San Giacomo Maggiore Church decorated by L. Costa and F. Francia. His father-in-law, Giovanni Bentivoglio, had his tomb done by Jacopo Quercia, and the chapel includes art work by Paolo Veneziano, Simone da Bologna, and Federico Carracci. His mother-in-law’s family is in a portrait by Lavina Fontana (1552-1614) The Gozzadini Family. 1467 - Gherardo I’s son, Antonio IV (1453-1505), built Palazzo Bevilacqua de Ferrara at Piazza Ariostea designed by Biagio Rossetti. Antonio IV became Ercole I Este’s Ambassador to Lodovico il Moro Sforza. Lodovico Il Moro commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to paint Adoration of the Magi and The Lady with an Ermine (his mistress). 1473 - Antonio IV’s first wife was Maria, the daughter of Galasso Ariosto and the niece of Ludovico Ariosto. Ludovico’s poem, Orlando Furioso, was the most celebrated narrative poem of the Italian High Renaissance. In 1512, Titian painted Ariosto inspired by a character in the poem. Maria’s mother was Nicolosa Salimbeni of Siena. The Palazzo Salimbeni built in the fourteenth century is now the headquarters of Italy’s oldest bank. After Maria’s death, he married Caterina, daughter of Ambrogio Contrari and Battistina Campofregoso. The Contrari were descendants of the Royal House of Bavaria, and moved to Ferrara in 1106. The Campofregoso held the title of Doge of Genoa more than any other family from 1415 through 1522, and owned the Saint George Bank.

1474 - Palazzo Sanuti Bevilacqua Degli Ariosti in Bologna was built with 8,500 blocks of diamond tip cut white Carrara marble. Decorations are by Tommasso Filippo da Varignana, Sperandio da Mantova, Francesco di Simone da Fiesole, and Scalpellini of Tuscany. The Council of Trent met there during 1547.

1485 - Antonio da Sangallo the Elder constructed the Bevilacqua family’s fortified castle at Rocca Paolina in Perugia.

1486 - Ambrogio Bevilacqua, Father of the International Gothic Style and student of Foppa, paints Madonna con Bambino e S. Pietro Martire, and teaches Bramante.

1493 - Palace Chokes Bevilacqua in Certosa di Pavia completed by Gabriel Frisians.

1495 - Antonio IV’s oldest son, Ercole I (1495-1528), was Benvenuto Cellini’s second in a duel as detailed in Cellini’s Autobiography. He was a knight for Alfonso I d’ Este of Ferrara in the war against Pope Giulio II in 1519. He married Maddalena the daughter of Count Giacomo Carminati. Her uncle, Count Ludovico Carminati, married Cecelia Gallerani whose portrait was known as Lady with an Ermine.

1498 - Veronese’s father, Gabriele, sculpts Virgin and Child in Throne Venerata from Saint Procolo and the Saints Teuteria and Tosca for the Bevilacqua family in their Church of the Saints Teuteria and Tosca adjacent to their palace in Verona. 1500 - Marquis Galeotto Malaspina and Mattea Bevilacqua’s grand daughter, Argentine Bevilacqua Malaspina (1480-1547), married Piero Soderini (1452-1522) who was elected Standard Bearer of Justice and Head of State of the Republic of Florence for life in 1502. 1502 - Piero Soderini and Argentine commissioned Michelangelo to sculpt David.

1503 - Michelangelo painted The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist commissioned on the birth of Agnolo Doni and Maddalena Strozzi’s first daughter. Veronese borrowed the crescent moon from Michelangelo’s painting to represent the Strozzi family in Portrait of a Prelate. 1504 - Piero and Argentine commissioned Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci to decorate the Hall of the Great Council. Piero provided Michelangelo with a letter of introduction to the rulers of Bologna. Michelangelo made a bronze statue of Pope Julius II for the rulers of the city of Bologna. Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

1505 - The Bevilacqua family arranged for M. Michele Sanmichele to go to Rome to work on the commissions that Pope Julius II had awarded to Bramante. After the Bramante project, the Bevilacqua family arranged for Sanmichele to study sculpture and architecture in the workshop of Antonio da Sangallo the Elder (1455-1534) in 1507.

1512 - Piero Soderini made Niccolo Machiavelli his Counselor of War, and took control of Pisa with the assistance of King Louis XII of France. Later, the Medici and the Spanish army took Florence and exiled Piero Soderini and Argentine Bevilacqua Malaspina to Ragusa in Dalmatia. They lived under the protection of Count Obradich Bevilacqua’s Castle in Dalmatia. When Pope Leo X was elected, they returned to Rome. 1516 - Verona, Venice, and the French attacked the Austrians and the Germans. The Treaty of Brussels returned Verona to Venice and granted Milan to the French. 1517- Antonio IV’s cousin, Antonio I was Ambassador of Verona to Venice. Doge Francisco Venier, a relative, made him a Knight of Venice with hereditary citizenship.

1520 – Countess Diamante Verita Bevilacqua commissioned Sanmichele to build the Chapel at the Villa Della Torre to celebrate her marriage to Count Antonio della Torre. The della Torre family was great patrons of Lorenzo Lotto.

1530 - Ludovico Canossa, a Bevilacqua relative, commissioned Sanmichele to build his palace in Verona which housed the family treasure, Madonna della Perla by Raphael.

1532 - Ercole I’s older brother, Alfonso I (1500-1565), served on the Court of the Este family and was Ambassador to Venice. He married Costanza Strozzi, and received the Palazzo Strozzi Bevilacqua in Ferrara. Raphael painted Portrait of Maddalena Strozzi, and Titian painted Portrait of Clarissa Strozzi in 1542. In 1503, Michelangelo painted The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist for the Strozzi. In 1542, Michelangelo gave Roberto Strozzi The Dying Slave and The Rebellious Slave sculptures.

1533 - Antonio I and his brother, Gregorio II, commissioned Sanmichele to renovate the Palazzo Bevilacqua in Verona on the Via del Corso in the Mannerist rhythmic style. 1536 - Sanmichele fortifies the medieval Castle Bevilacqua outside Verona for Giovanni Francesco III Bevilacqua. 1539 - Sanmichele completes the Bevilacqua-Pellegrini tomb and the Pellegrini Chapel in the Church of Santa Anastasia. Pisanello’s Saint George and the Princess adorns the chapel and depicts three members of the Bevilacqua family. A lunette by Martino da Verona is over the tomb of Count Galeotto Bevilacqua. A fresco by Altichiero is over the tomb of his wife, Countess Paola Pellegrini-Bevilacqua. The walls are adorned by 24 terracotta tableaus depicting Christ’s life by Michele da Firenze done in 1425.

1541 - Sanmichele teaches Veronese the art of painting architecture, and befriended Batista Zelotti, Veronese’s fellow student.

1543 - Sanmichele arranged for Veronese to assist Bartolommeo Ridolfi in painting two ceiling frescoes in the Palazzo Canossa.

1546 - The Bevilacqua Palace in Verona by Sanmichele is featured in Veronese’s first commission Christ Revives the Daughter of Jarius. 1547 - Antonio I Bevilacqua had his portrait done by Titian which hangs in the Castlevecchio Museum in Verona. 1548 - Veronese completes his second commission, the Bevilacqua-Lazise Altarpiece, for Giovanni Bevilacqua-Lazise in honor of his wife, Lucrezia Malaspina. Later that year, Veronese completes the pencil sketch for Jesus among the Doctors for Giovanni. Also, Anton Galeazzo Bevilacqua introduced Veronese to Bernardo Torlioni, a monk of the Hieronymite Monastery in Verona. Torlioni commissioned Veronese to paint The Lamentation over the Dead Christ for their monastery. 1549 - Gregorio II commissioned Veronese to paint Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine to celebrate his thirtieth wedding anniversary to Julia Nogarola Canossa. Veronese commissioned for portrait of Isabella Guerrieri Gonzaga Canossa, a Bevilacqua relative.

1550 - Giovanni Bevilacqua, son of Antonio I Bevilacqua and Libera della Corte, married Livia the daughter of Count Alberto Sarego and Camilla Visconti. The Sarego family commissioned Palladio to build the Villa Sarego at Santo Sofia in the Veneto.

1551 - The Bevilaqua family introduced Veronese to the Giustiniani, relatives from Venice. They commissioned the Pala Giustiniani Altarpiece. Count Giuseppe da Porto, a Bevilacqua relative, commissioned Veronese to paint Portrait of Countess Livia da Porto and her Daughter Porzia and Portrait of Iseppo and Adriano da Porto.

1552 - Cardinal Ercole Gonzaga commissioned Veronese to paint The Temptation of Saint Anthony for the Mantua Cathedral. At the cathedral, Veronese was introduced to Andrea Palladio which began a life long personal and professional relationship.

1553 - Antonio I introduced Veronese to Daniele Barbaro who commissioned Veronese to decorate the Council of Ten in Venice with Jupiter Expelling Crimes and Vices, Juno Bestowing Gifts upon Venice, and Youth and Age. Daniele Barbaro then commissioned Veronese to paint his portrait.

1554 - Alfonso I Bevilacqua (1500-1565), donated the funds to expand the Church of San Domenico in Orvieto with M. Michele Sanmichele as the architect.

1555 - Titian painted Antonio I Bevilacqua’s portrait displayed in the Castlevecchio Museum in Verona. Antonio I married Zenone dalla Corte, his daughter, Elena, married Lodovico, the son of Dante Alighieri. When Lodovico Alighieri died, Elena married the son of Marco Ridolfi Pellegrino. Marco Ridolfi was the uncle of Carlo Ridolfi (1594-1658) the Venetian artist and author of the Life of Titian and the Life of Tintoretto.

1560 - Onoforio Bevilacqua II (1539-1598) was made Governor of Carpi plus Councilor and General Prefect of the Ducal Army by Alfonso d’ Este II, Duke of Ferrara. Onoforio II commissioned Alberto Schiatti, the architect of Ferrara, to design the Palace Bevilacqua Massari in Ferrara. The palace became known as the Mansion of the Knights of Malta and is now the home of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

1564 - Earl Mario Bevilacqua formed the Philharmonic Academy of Verona primarily known for music but also very involved in the arts, philosophy and the sciences. Alessandro Turchi was a member and painted the doors to the Sala Maffeiana where the Philarmonic Academy held its meetings. Mario was especially interested in exploring single melodies in conjunction with a basso continuo to meet the demands of the Council of Trent for intelligibility in music for the most holy sacrifice of the mass. This eventually led to the most important form of concert music, the solo sonata.

1565 - Veronese included a portrait of Gieremia Bevilacqua who was Prior of the Servites from 1565-1570 in the Wedding at Cana.

1567 - Veronese commissioned to paint the portrait of Antonio Galeazzo Bevilacqua, Portrait of a Prelate, upon his graduation from the University of Bologna with a Doctorate in Canon and Civil Law.

1568 - Earl Mario Bevilacqua (1536-1593), Antonio Galeazzo’s cousin, also received his Doctor of Law degree from the University of Bologna. He and Antonio Galeazzo represented the fifth consecutive generation to earn their Doctor of Law degree. This tradition was begun by Count Vitale Bevilacqua in 1275. Earl Mario’s collection of ancient sculptures, antique books, and coins was used as the basis for the first known public Library and Museums of Antiquity at his palace.

1570 - Gieremia Bevilacqua commissioned Veronese to paint The Supper of Saint Gregory the Great for the Church of Santa Maria dei Servi.

1575 - Giovanni Bevilacqua-Lazise commissioned Veronese to paint Saint Lucy with Donor.

1577 - Giovanni Lazise-Bevilacqua commissioned Veronese to paint The Martyrdom and Last Communion of Saint Lucy for the Church of Santa Croce in Belluno owned by the Bevilacqua family.

1584 - Veronese gave Earl Mario Bevilacqua one of two paintings called Venus at the Mirror. The other Venus at the Mirror was given to Rudolph II who had commissioned Veronese to do the painting according to Borghini. Ridolfi saw this painting at the Bevilacqua palace in Verona in 1648, and it was in Bevilacqua’s possession until 1805.

1588 - Pietro Ponzio, a descendant of Pontius Pilate, wrote his Reasoning of Music in the form of a dialogue which took place in Earl Mario Bevilacqua’s palace. His work detailed the musical doctrine developed at Bevilacqua’s palace for the solo sonata and was dedicated to Earl Mario Bevilacqua. Over twenty other books and anthologies were dedicated to Mario Bevilacqua for his contributions to the world of music.

1589 – Bonifazio III was a “secret waiter” of Pope Gregorio XIII, and received his doctorate in law at the University of Padua. Bonifazio III Bevilacqua helped Ventura Salimbeni’s (1567-1613) career as a painter. He introduced Ventura to Pope Sixtus V in 1588. The pope commissioned Ventura to collaborate on the fresco decoration of the Vatican Library. Ventura then worked on the decoration of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and Gesu Church in Rome.

1591 – Pope Gregorio XIV, a relative, appointed Bonifazio III as Privy Chamberlain of the Vatican. Later, Bonifazio III became Archdeacon of Ferrara and the Patriarch of Constantinople.

1593 - When Earl Mario Bevilacqua died, his collection including Portrait of a Prelate was moved to the Bevilacqua Palace on Via Corso in Verona. The palace was turned into a museum for the city of Verona.

1599 - When Bonifazio III was made Cardinal by Pope Clement VIII, he was in charge of the diocese of Sabina, Umbria, and Perugia. He was also made the Prefect of the Cardinal’s Consul, Referendario of the Cardinal’s Senate, and elected Prefect of all of the Catholic Church’s Assemblies.

1601 - Pope Clement VIII Aldobrandini granted Luigi Bevilacqua and his brothers, Bonifazio III and Alfonso II the use of his name and the Aldobrandini Coat of Arms. They received the titles of Marchesi di Fontanile and Baroni di Berzano d’Asti. Cardinal Bevilacqua provided Ventura Salimbeni with commissions at the Church of Santa Trinita and the Church of Santo Spirito in Siena. In Perugia, he decorated the Church of San Pietro. After completing his fresco in the Cavaleriato del Esperon de Oro, Cardinal Bevilacqua bestowed Ventura Salimbeni with the Bevilacqua family name.

1602 - Prince Ereditario Francisco Gonzaga ascribed the Gonzaga family name to Luigi Bevilacqua with the title of Marquis Luigi Alexander Bevilacqua Aldobrandini Gonzaga.

1603 - Onoforio II Bevilacqua’s second wife, Porzia Leni Bentivoglio Bevilacqua, donated her fortune for the well being of others.

1724 - Francesco Scipione Maffei, a paleographical antiquarian and archaeological scholar, commissioned Giovanni Battista Tiepolo to illustrate the sculpture of Earl Mario Bevilacqua’s collection. The etching designs were done by Tiepolo, and were executed and engraved by Andrea and Francesco Zucchi.

1731 - The Tiepolo designs were published in Maffei’s four volume work entitled Verona Illustrata by Jacopo Vallarsi and Pierantonio Berno. Earl Bevilacqua’s Roman Imperial antique busts of Augustus, Livia his wife, Trajan and Tiberius were included in this work.

1735 - Marquis Ercole Bevilacqua donated several Roman sculptures from Earl Mario’s collection to help begin the Civic Lapidary Museum located in the Philharmonic Theatre. Marquis Ercole also donated several sculptures and paintings to the Civic Museum located in the Palazzo Lavezzola Pompeii built by Sanmichele in 1530.

1797 - Earl Mario’s collection was stolen by Napoleon Bonaparte after his conquest of Verona.

1816 - The collection was returned from Paris by Emperor Francis of Austria. Count Alessandro Bevilacqua donated the book collection to the Capitolare Library. Portrait of a Prelate and the remaining art work was moved to the Bevilacqua Castle of Verona.

1819 - Count Pompeo Litta’s (1781-1852) book Famigle Celebri Italiane about the most famous one hundred families of Italy was published including the biographies of all of the descendants of Morando Bevilacqua (1150-1230).

1829 – Giovanni Carlo Bevilacqua (1775 - 1849) decorates several churches and palaces in Venice. The Academy of Fine Arts in Venice publishes 880 of his works after his death.

1848 - Count Alessandro Bevilacqua was killed in the War of Independence by the Austrians. His son, Girolamo, an officer of the Cavalry Regiment of the Kingdom of Piedmont, was killed on April 29 by two bullets on his first day of action at the Battle of Pastrengo. His mother, Carolina, daughter of Count Bernardino Santi of Brescia, sold Count Mario’s marble sculpture collection to King Ludwig I of Germany and Bavaria. The Austrians burned the Bevilacqua Castle, and the paintings including Portrait of a Prelate were stolen by the Austrians.

1849 - Countess Carolina used the proceeds from the sale of the sculpture collection to open a hospital in Valleggio. Carolina and her daughter, Felicita, cared for the wounded soldiers throughout the remainder of the war. Carolina died on September 27 from an infectious disease that she contracted at the hospital. King Carlo Alberto of Italy struck a gold coin in her honor with the inscription, “To Maria Carolina Santi, of Marquis Bevilacqua of Brescia, this Merit of Humanity of the native land is given for building a hospital and comforting the valorous Italians wounded in the War of Independence.”

1851 - Countess Carolina’s son, Guglielmo, lived through the war and the Grand Duke Leopoldo of Austria and Tuscany confirmed his titles as Duke, Marquis, and Count. Guglielmo rebuilt the Bevilacqua Castle and the Palace in Verona; however, he was unable to recover the stolen paintings.

1899 - Duchess Felicita Bevilacqua La Masa donates her fortune and her Palace Ca’ Pesaro to the young and needy artists of Venice, and establishes the Foundation Bevilacqua La Masa which still exists today. The Palace is now also the home of the Museum of Modern Art.