The Otherness of the Duchess and her Authorship of the Decorative Schemes for the Baptisms of her Sons Adrian, John, Amadeus and Emmanuel Philibert

Abstract

This paper argues that Beatrice of Portugal used her cultural and social otherness as a device to construct an image and manage her power as the Duchess of Savoy. Considering the narratives of her sons Adrian, John, Amadeus and Emmanuel Philibert's christening festivities, written respectively by Antonino Dal Pozzo and Bonnes Nouvelles, this text discusses Beatrice's role and intentions as the author of the decorative programs.