The loves, rages and jealousies of Juno A series of prints by Giulio Bonasone Margaret Sheehan The Baillieu Library Print Collection Bologna. In 1556 a Bonasone is was the home of its founder, the at the University of Melbourne listed as the auditor of the Bolognese Palazzo Bocchi, completed in 1546.7 holds a series of engravings by Compagnia delle Quattro Arti.4 Bonasone is known to have made the Bolognese printmaker Giulio If this is the same Bonasone, then two engravings of the palazzo.8 The Bonasone titled Amori sdegni et presumably he returned at least mythical protectors of the Accademia gielosie di Giunone (The loves, a year or two before this date. Bocchiana were Minerva, goddess rages and jealousies of Juno). The Achille Bocchi, a Bolognese writer, of wisdom and war (the Roman prints illustrate episodes from the bureaucrat and lecturer in law at the equivalent of the Greek Athena), and mythology of the Roman goddess University of Bologna, commissioned Mercury (Hermes), the messenger Juno (Hera in Greek mythology), him to produce illustrations for his god and patron of merchants and queen of the gods and wife and sister Symbolicarum quaestionum de universo marketplaces. Their statues adorned of Jupiter (Zeus). They combine genere, first published in 1555. Such the roof of the Palazzo Bocchi.9 pagan imagery and narrative with an an undertaking would have taken These are the same gods found in underlying Roman Catholic moral two or three years to complete.5 the frontispiece of The loves, rages message, and help to shed light on The date of Bonasone’s death is and jealousies of Juno (illustrated the life of their elusive creator. unknown, but his last known print, right). The motto of the Accademia Very little is known about Giulio of Michelangelo’s Last judgement, is Bocchiana was Sic monstra domantur Bonasone. He was born towards the dated 1574. (Thus the monsters are tamed).10 beginning of the 16th century and The link to Achille Bocchi is This phrase is echoed in the verse possibly began his artistic career possibly significant in understanding accompanying the print Hercules as a painter, although no surviving the series of 22 prints by Bonasone, killing the snakes Juno sent to destroy paintings are attributed to him.1 of which the Baillieu Library Print him, showing the infant Hercules He is known principally as an Collection holds a complete set. Each strangling two snakes in his crib: engraver, studying with the renowned of the illustrations is accompanied ‘Quivi fanciullo il domator di printmaker Marcantonio Raimondi. by a short Italian verse. The text and mostri …’ (Herein the child tamer His style was influenced by Raphael, images appear to be of Bonasone’s of monsters …). If the series was Michelangelo and Correggio, and own invention, as attested by his commissioned by the Accademia he was closely associated with signature on each print: ‘Iulio Bocchiana, this may be an allusion to Parmigianino, who entrusted Bonasone In Ventore’ or a variant its motto, and aligns the organisation Bonasone with making copper thereof. with the revered hero. engravings from his drawings.2 Although no documentation It is difficult to pin down exactly Bonasone worked for several years exists on the circumstances of its when the series might have been as an engraver in Rome, evidenced creation, the series may have been commissioned. If one accepts the by prints he made of Roman subjects commissioned by the Accademia proposal of the Accademia Bocchiana between 1544 and 1547.3 It is not Bocchiana, founded by Achille as the commissioning body, the clear exactly when he returned to Bocchi.6 The academy’s base strongest argument seems to be 16 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 12, June 2013 Giulio Bonasone, Frontispiece (with Athena and Mercury) from Amori sdegni et gielosie di Giunone, c. 1547–68, engraving, 13.4 × 10.4 cm. Reg. no. 1959.2314, gift of Dr J. Orde Poyton, 1959, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne. between Bonasone’s return from Rome after 1547 and Achille Bocchi’s death in 1562. The accademia seems to have been formed only after the completion of the Palazzo Bocchi in 1546, and Bonasone’s other associations with it occurred after his return to Bologna. Massari argues that the prints show Bonasone’s engraving technique in full maturity, indicating a date after 1560 and as late as 1568.11 However, such a late date would pose a problem for attributing the commission to the Accademia Bocchiana, which was dissolved when Bocchi died in 1562.12 Based on this fact and Massari’s argument, one could be tempted to date the series to 1560–62. Unfortunately however, as the evidence for its commission by the academy is purely speculative, the temptation must be set aside. Given the moralising tone of the prints, it seems likely that they were created in the spirit of the Counter- Reformation. The Council of Trent first convened in Trent from 1545 to 1546, in Bologna in 1547, then continued to meet in Trent until 1563. The council was inaugurated by Pope Paul III in order to combat the Protestant Reformation that had swept across northern Europe in the early 16th century, challenging the power of the Roman Catholic Church. Margaret Sheehan, ‘The loves, rages and jealousies of Juno’ 17 The Church had been criticised to make him immortal and tied him responsible for births, marriages for corruption, extravagance and to a burning wheel to suffer in the and deaths. They are usually shown alienating laypeople from their Underworld for eternity. The verse holding spindles and distaffs and are religion. The Protestant Reformation accompanying the image explains spinning or weaving. They would had seen the Bible translated from that with desire Ixion vainly embraces spin the lives of mortals and cut the Latin into vernacular languages and the air, believing it to be Juno, and thread of a person’s life when he or gave the average believer licence to that his punishment is like that which she was about to die. Here the Fates read and interpret the Bible according often comes to those who attempt are shown with cornucopiae—horns to their own conscience. The expense to grasp what is too far from human filled with fruit and plants—symbols and display of the Catholic liturgy sensation. of plenty. This iconography is unusual were often eschewed in favour of Tantalus is another being damned for the Fates and is related to the simplicity. One of the most important to eternal suffering in the Underworld figure of Fortuna, usually identified by issues for the Council of Trent was (Tantalus speaking to Diana). He was her cornucopia and rudder (fortune the translation and interpretation of invited to dine with the gods on the and fate were often associated with the Bible. The council decreed that condition that he not reveal their the unpredictability of sea voyages). the Bible was not to be translated secrets to mortals. When he broke his The figure of Fortuna was sometimes from Latin, and could be read and promise he was condemned to spend trebled to suggest the Fates, and this interpreted by the clergy only, as the eternity in a pool of water that would is probably the source of Bonasone’s task of understanding scripture was recede whenever he tried to drink, and representation.13 In the verse beyond the layperson. above his head would be suspended Bonasone suggests that interpreting One of the most interesting things fruit that would jump from his grasp the word of God is not a privilege about Bonasone’s series is the way in when he tried to pluck it. The verse granted to the ordinary person: Juno which it combines pagan imagery and warns that the miserable Tantalus, is explaining her reasoning to the narrative with a Catholic Counter- because he wanted divinity, will ever Fates, but mortals cannot understand Reformation message. Several of the be a wretch from hunger and thirst. her as the judgements of the gods prints make reference to the dangers This print is a particularly convincing are hidden. of attempting to grasp what is beyond allusion to the Reformation as it Some of the prints in the series the understanding of normal humans. does not sit well narratively in the warn of the dangers of defying Ixion embracing a cloud, thinking it is series. Although there are myths in Jupiter, who was sometimes equated Juno illustrates the story of Ixion, who which Juno visits the Underworld and with the Christian god in this period. fell in love with Juno and attempted encounters Tantalus, here it is Diana Juno suspended in the air is one such to rape her. In revenge, Jupiter sent a who speaks with him and not the print. Since the birth of Hercules cloud in the shape of Juno to couple titular goddess. (son of Juno’s husband Jupiter and with Ixion. The phantom Juno bore Juno speaking to the Parcae (Fates) one of his lovers, Alcmene), Juno Ixion a son, Centaurus, father of the (illustrated right) has a similar moral had been set against the baby, and centaurs. Jupiter gave Ixion an elixir message. The three Fates were sent snakes to kill him in his crib. 18 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 12, June 2013 Giulio Bonasone, Juno speaking to the Parcae (Fates), c. 1547–68, engraving, 13.2 × 10.3 cm. Reg. no. 1959.2320, gift of Dr J. Orde Poyton, 1959, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne. But the infant strangled them with his bare hands (illustrated in another print in the series, Hercules killing the snakes Juno sent to destroy him), and Juno orchestrated the setting of his twelve labours.