| In 1429 Niccolo III d'Este followed the suggestion of the Signore of Mantua to declare Leonello as his legitimated heir, this was seen as a precondition to accept Leonello as husband of a Gonzaga daughter. Another of the improvements was the decision to work for an intellectual education of Leonello, who at that time was already 22 years old. The choice fall upon Guarino, an already rather old man then with much practice as teacher for Greek and Latin. In his decision Niccolo followed the Mantuan way, where already earlier Vittorino da Feltre had been engaged with good success as teacher for the younger children of the family.
Guarino included in his lessons to Leonello other persons of the court, under them also older men, for instance Boiardo's grandfather Feltrino. Guarino's influence became immense, he transformed the whole court and probably due to his stay in Ferrara Niccolo succeeded to get the council of 1438 to Ferrara (Guarino's pupils had then opportunity to test their learnt Greek at this opportunity), the major international event for which Ferrara became famous in the course of time.
After Leonello's educative time, which ended with his marriage in 1435, Guarino got an installment as University teacher. The number of students raised from ca. 30 in 1430ies to around 300 in the 40ies. Guarino stayed active till his death (1460).
In Tarot history the suggestion was given, that the socalled Mantegna Tarocchi was developed by Guarino around 1440. The suggestion doesn't seem reliable, the Mantegna probably was developed arond 1470. But it's true, that Guarino took influence upon the plans of the Studiolo of Leonello, which was decorated with pictures of the Muses, and it's true, that the Muses became later part of the Mantegna Tarocchi. A lettter from 1457 still shows the interest of Guarino in the matter.
More to Guarino in his Biography.
Other Links
A picture
Battista Guarino, the son; a treatise
Guarini, a late descendant - friend of Tasso
Peter Luder - a German humanist, student of the early time of Guarino in Ferrara
Janus Ponnonius - a Guarino pupil since 1447
a female corresponding with Guarino
Plutarch translation |
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