The painter as author, the year 1510 and Federico II Gonzaga (portrayed at the age of 10) are considered to be sure, since conforming information is documented by numerous letters.

The boy has medium blond hair and brown eyes with hanging lower eyelids below strongly arched eyebrows.

[2] The handing over of the hostage resulted in a dependency of the House of Gonzaga (Marquisate of Mantua) on the Holy League (1511), which is why the Gonzaga sided with the League in the subsequent battles against her long-time allies France and the House of Este (Duchy of Ferrara).

In 1511 Isabella d'Este (married Gonzaga) commissioned Francesco Francia again, this time to paint her own portrait.

In 1512 she gave the two Francia portraits, Mother and Child, to an acquaintance in Ferrara, who exhibited them both as counterparts for discussion at evening events.