Referring to fresco, a
painting on fresh plaster.
she can never be sold,
bought or bartered. She's
stuck with him forever.
Hints at his possessive nature - "My"
Based on the life a 16th Century Italian Duke. The narrator is
Duke Alfonso II who ruled a place in northern Italy called
Ferrera. The Duchess written about is Alfonso's 1st wife,
Lucrecia de'Medici who died in 1561, age 17, under 'mysterious
circumstances' - most likely poisoned.