CONTENTS -- Acknowledgements -- List of Figures and Tables -- List of Abbreviations -- List of Contributors -- Introduction: Double Agents in Early Modern Europe -- Chapter One The Embassy of Art: Diplomats as Cultural Brokers -- Chapter Two Art and Patronage: Sir Henry Wotton and the Venetian Embassy 1604-1624 -- Chapter Three Giovanni Andrea Doria: Citizen of Genoa, Prince of Melfi, Agent of King Philip II of Spain -- Chapter Four Politics and Letters: Gisbert Cuper as a Servant of Two Republics -- Chapter Five Mercator Sapiens: Merchants as Cultural Entrepreneurs -- Chapter Six Acquiring Artistic Expertise: The Agent Daniel Nijs and His Contacts with Artists in Venice -- Chapter Seven García de Yllán: A Merchant in Silver, Bread and Bullets and a Broker in Art, 1591-1655 -- Chapter Eight The Pretext of Pictures: Artists as Cultural and Political Agents -- Chapter Nine A Spider in Its Web: Agent and Artist Michel le Blon and His Northern European Network -- Chapter Ten John Dowland's Employment at the Royal Danish Court: Musician, Agent-and Spy? -- Chapter Eleven Travels of a Court Jester: Gonzalo de Liaño, Art Agent at the Court of King Philip II of Spain -- Chapter Twelve 'From Russia with Love': Agents and Their Victims -- Bibliography -- Index of Personal Names -- Index of Places.