prince who spent lavish sums on magnificent display and beautiful women. He was also a patron of the arts and was genuinely sympathetic to men of talent. He encouraged the music of Monteverdi and had been instrumental in securing the release of the poet Tasso from the madhouse, restoring him to normal life. He also engaged Rubens, and service of the Duke offered great advantages while also exacting some price:
Princely patrons did not support young painters solely to enable them to cultivate their talents. Rubens had to work for his keep. At first his task was to make copies of famous picture for the Duke's collection, to paint portraits of pretty women for the Gallery of Beauties that Vincenzo, following a contemporary fashion, was organizing at Mantua, and to design pageants and festivals for the court.
Among the advantages was the fact that the painter could travel all over Italy to see the best art works, and the Duke soon gave Rubens permission to make his own choice of masterpieces worth copying for the collection. Rubens also could thus become known to other patrons, allowing him to make commissions that did not interfere with his service to the Duke.
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