# The Marchesa: Author Sarah Dunant on Writing Isabella d'Este

An episode of [The Italian Renaissance Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1612265937), 12 Oct 2026, 34 min.

Audio: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1947899/episodes/19947333-the-marchesa-author-sarah-dunant-on-writing-isabella-d-este.mp3

Author and historian Sarah Dunant joined me for a riveting conversation about her new book treating the life of Isabella d'Este, The Marchesa. A master of the historical fiction genre, Sarah walks us through her creative process from the archives of Mantua to the rich pages of her exceptional prose. We discuss art, patronage, and some newfound evidence that uncovers details about Isabella's intimate life during the 16th century Syphilis outbreak. This title is the latest in a long list of Sarah Dunant's works set during the Renaissance and with a particular focus on giving voice to the women who helped shape and craft this exciting historical moment. You can find Sarah Dunant's The Marchesa here: https://weatherglassbooks.com/ravenna-press/themarchesa Some of the images discussed: Leonardo da Vinci, Portrait of Isabella d'Este, 1499/1500 https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl020111146 Titian, Portriat of Isabella d'Este, ca. 1536 https://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/t/tiziano/10/1/09isabel.html Andrea Mantegna, Parnassus, 1475-1500 https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010059312 Support/Follow/Learn: https://linktr.ee/italian_renaissance_podcast The Florentine Renaissance Course Support the show

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