LITMIR.BIZ

      This book was written over a long period of years. During that time, I have taught several courses on art of the papal court and discussed many issues with colleagues from my own university in Groningen and other institutions. To them and to the students who sat though my courses I am very grateful. Their critical and stimulating comments, made consciously or unconsciously, have been very important in shaping my way of thinking about the topic of this book. It was Els Hommes who stimulated me to set up this project, but I had hardly started when sadly she passed away. Nor did Joe Dubee, who enthusiastically and critically read the manuscript, live to see the book finished. It is with pleasure and regret that I remember the many conversations we had about it.

      I did much of the research for this book in Rome, where I have always been welcome to stay at the Royal Dutch Institute. I am very grateful to the director and all the staff for the hospitality and help they have generously offered. Janet Mente, librarian of the Institute, should be mentioned in particular; she has always been willing and very effective in tracing information that I would not have found without her help. I am also very obliged to the Groningen Research Institute for the Study of Culture (ICOG) of the University of Groningen, which has sponsored all my stays in Rome and has contributed financially to the production of this book. Drs. Willy Piron and his colleagues of the Centre for Art Historical Documentation (CKD) of Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and Dr. Rosanna di Pinto of the Archivio Fotografico of the Vatican Museums have been more than helpful in providing me with the illustrations I needed.

      I owe special thanks to Dr. Lois Greg for critically reading the first version of the manuscript and correcting my English. My former colleagues from the Art History Department in Groningen, Dr. Lyckle de Vries and Dr. Victor M. Schmidt, both read and commented on the manuscript and offered many useful insights and ideas. So did Professor Dr. Peter Rietbergen from Radboud University in Nijmegen; the many useful remarks he wrote in the margins of the manuscript would almost be enough for a separate book. I also owe many thanks to my colleague from the Latin Department in Groningen, Drs. Sjef Kemper, who has always been willing to discuss Latin texts with me and deepen my understanding of them. Moreover, he has saved me from many mistakes in the translations I made. In the final stage of the project, Mr. John P. Morris meticulously copyedited my manuscript and greatly smoothed out my English, for which not only I but especially the readers will be very grateful.

      I am extremely fortunate in having a wife and children who share my passion for Rome, its history, and its art. Many times they traveled to Italy to visit the places I had so often talked about at home. For me, therefore, this book is not only the result of years of research; it is also a collection of memories of the wonderful times we have had together in Rome. I affectionately dedicate this book to them.