jacopo strada was an italian polymath courtier of the 16th century, a painter, architect, goldsmith, inventor of machines, numismatist, linguist, collector and merchant of works of art. his portrait by titian has kept his image familiar. he is supposed to have received early training as a goldsmith in the mantua workshops of giulio romano; drawings of giulio's palazzo del tè and of its painted interiors and those of the palazzo ducale at mantua, datable 1567-68, are attributed to jacopo strada, intended for his descrizione di tutta italia. from 1552 to 1555 he sojourned in lyon and travelled…