Spires, Diets of (1526, 1529) Assemblies (Reichstage) of
the Holy Roman Empire at Spires (Speyer) in southern
Germany. At the 1526 meeting, on the grounds that Em-
peror CHARLES Vwas now at war with the pope, the
princes repudiated instructions previously received from
Charles to cease innovations and enforce the Edict of
WORMS. It was agreed that each prince should determine
the established religion of his own territory, and that oth-
ers should be tolerated. LUTHER agreed to union with
Rome, provided that only biblical institutions and cere-
monies were regarded as essential and that all others were
reserved for decision by a general council of the Church.
At the 1529 assembly there was a large majority of
Roman Catholics, and toleration of dissenters in Catholic
territories was revoked. Six princes and 14 cities made a
formal protest (Protestatio) against this decision; this was
the origin of the term PROTESTANT.
Spiritual Exercises See IGNATIUS LOYOLA, ST; JESUITS
Spirituali The name given to a group of Roman Catholic
reformers in the early years of the Reformation that
included Gasparo CONTARINIand Reginald POLE. They
worked for reconciliation with Lutheranism and gave a
cautious welcome to his teachings on JUSTIFICATION BY
FAITH. The Spirituali circulated a tract entitled Beneficio di
Christo in the 1540s which turned out to be a paraphrase
of part of Calvin’s INSTITUTES. Their influence was effec-
tively ended by the failure of the Colloquy of REGENSBURG
(1541) to bear fruit.
Spranger, Bartholomäus (1546–1611) Flemish painter
Born in Antwerp, Spranger studied landscape painting
there under Jan Mandijn and Cornelius van Dalem. He
then spent some years in Paris, Rome, and other Italian
cities (1565–75), where he learnt figure painting from
PARMIGIANINOand Federico ZUCCARO. In Rome he met the
Flemish painter Carl van MANDER, who later spread
Spranger’s style through Flanders. In 1575 he was at the
court of Emperor Maximilian II in Vienna, and after the
emperor’s death (1576) Spranger worked for Maximilian’s
son, Emperor RUDOLF II, in Prague. As Rudolf’s taste was
for the erotic, expressed through mythological and alle-
gorical themes, Spranger’s work consists largely of nudes
in formalized scenes from Greek and Roman mythology,
such as Minerva Conquering Ignorance (c. 1591) and Her-
cules and Omphale (both Vienna). Spranger probably came
closest of all German and Dutch artists to the spirit of Ital-
ian Mannerism, although his work still retained a north-
ern restlessness. It was extremely popular and influential,
and much copied.
sprezzatura A term used in Il cortegiano (THE COURTIER)
by CASTIGLIONE, sometimes translated as “nonchalance.”
The ideal courtier must be formidably accomplished, but
it is essential that he avoid offensive or undignified dis-
play. Sprezzatura refers to the easy grace and superiority
required to “make whatever is done or said to appear to be
without effort.”Squarcialupi, Antonio (1416–1480) Italian organist
The son of a Florentine butcher, Squarcialupi became or-
ganist at Orsanmichele in Florence in 1431, and in the
next year was appointed organist at the cathedral there, a
post he held until his death. Squarcialupi was probably the
most famous organist of his day, and is known to have cor-
responded with Guillaume DUFAY. The Squarcialupi
Codex, a famous manuscript containing secular works of
the Trecento, belonged to him.Squarcione, Francesco (1397–1468) Italian painter
He was born the son of a notary in Padua, and, as a teacher
of as many as 157 pupils, he is traditionally described as
the founder of the Paduan school, a term associated with
painters such as MANTEGNA, Marco ZOPPO, Giorgio Schi-
avone (1436/7–1504), and Cosimo TURA, who were either
taught or influenced by Squarcione. In his youth he trav-
eled in Greece and Italy collecting antique sculpture and
paintings, which resulted in the interest in classical archi-
tecture and antique works often associated with the Pad-
uan style. His only surviving paintings are a Madonna
(Staatliche Museen, Berlin) and a damaged polyptych
(1449–52; Museo Civico, Padua). These show the influ-
ence of the Florentine sculptor DONATELLO, who worked
in Padua between 1443 and 1453. Little remains of the
frescoes of scenes from the life of St. Francis which Squar-
cione painted on the exterior of San Francesco at Padua
(c. 1452–66) but they would indicate that, among other
artists, he spread the early Renaissance style of Florence in
his native city.Staden, Hans (fl. mid-16th century) German soldier
Almost nothing is known of Staden’s life apart from his
Warhaftige Historia (1557), which tells how he sailed in
Portuguese service to Brazil (1547–48), was captured by
the cannibalistic Tupinambá Indians (c. 1554), escaped
after nine months, and reached France in February 1555.
His close personal observation of the Tupinambá during
his captivity make his book a pioneering ethnographic
text. It had numerous early editions in German and Latin.Stampa, Gaspara (c. 1523–1554) Italian poet and
courtesan
She was born in Padua but lived in Venice after 1531, cul-
tivating her literary interests, entertaining leading figures
in her salon, and becoming known for her poetry, musical
ability, and beauty. As “Anassilla” she was a member of the
Accademia dei Pellegrini. Rime (1554), published posthu-
mously by her sister Cassandra and dedicated to Giovanni
DELLA CASA, consists of some 300 Petrarchan lyrics, mostly44550 0 SSppiirreess,, DDiieettss ooff