Dosso Dossi's father was a land agent for the Este court in Ferrara. By the age of twenty-five, Dosso had spent time in Mantua and probably Venice and had begun to paint cabinet pictures with religious and secular themes. By 1517 Dosso was also working for the dukes of Ferrara. He spent most of his career there, often collaborating with his brother Battista. The Este family valued the arts and fos
