 | 1. Room of the Archers. |
| 2. Judith' s room. | |
| 3. Room of the Labyrinth. | |
| 4. Room of the Crucible. | |
| 5. Room of Cupid and Psyche. | |
| 6.Room of the Mirrors. | |
| 7.New Gallery. | |
| 8. Room of the Alcove. |
1.Room of the Archers: The big Altarpieces by Pieter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), Domenico Fetti (1559 ca-1623), Antonio Maria Viani (1550/1560-1630), the artist who was the up to the Gonzagas of the XVI century and at their service.
(D. Fetti "La moltiplicazione dei pani e dei pesci")
(P.P.Rubens "La famiglia Gonzaga in adorazione della
Trinità")
2. Judith' s room: The pictorial cycle on big canvases at the top of the room depicting "Judith' s Stories" (1646-1656) by the Neapolitan Pietro Menghi, the series of the Apostles and Saint Martyrs by Domenico Fetti (1589-1623).
(D.Fetti "Santa
con la spada")
| (D. Fetti "S.Giovanni Evangelista") |
3. Room of the Labyrinth: The canvases on the wall, depicting the Ages of the World by Jacopo Palma the Younger (1548-1628 c.a.) and Sante Peranda (1566-1638), works, sculptures and designs of the Pico family, moved from Mirandola in the XVIII century.
(Soffitto ligneo della Stanza del Labirinto nella Domus Nova)
4.Room of the Crucible: Sante Peranda e aiuti (Venezia 1566-1638) Ritratti dei Principi Estensi e dei Pico della Corte Mirandolese. Olio su tela. Lorenzo Costa il giovane (Mantova 1537-1583). Fregio con putti e cani. Olio su tela cm.100x3500
5. Room of Cupid and Psyche:Some pictures of the Gonzaga family by Lucrina Fetti (first half of XVII century).
6. Room of the Mirrors: Francesco Gessi, Carlo Santner, Giacomo Sementi ed Antonio Maria Viani (attivi nei XVI-XVII sec.) Affreschi della volta e delle lunette. Giacomo Albertolli, Bedano di Lugano (1742- Milano 1839) Decorazione neoclassica a stucco. Felice Campi (Mantova 1746-1817) Fregio con putti a tempera e oro.
7. New Gallery: The Altarpieces coming from some Mantuan churches and convents disappeared or were alienated, like the canvases by F. Borgani (1557-1627), C. Bononi (1569-1623), C.Santner (1615-1662),D.M. Canuti (1626-1684), P.N. Neri (1601-1661), G.M. Crespi (1655-1747), and some canvases of Emilian school named in the catalogues of the Palazzo dating from XVII century.
(L.
Fetti "Angelo Annunziante")  | (D.
Maria Canuti  |
8. Room of the Alcove: (Provisory arrangement) Works of the first '700 by Mantuan G. Bazzani (1690-1769).
THE APPARTAMENTO DUCALE (DUKE' S APARTMENT) OF VINCENZO I GONZAGA: Antonio Maria Viani, prefect of the Gonzaga' s factories since 1595, obtained for the duke Vincenzo I Gonzaga (1562-1612) an apartment at the piano Nobile of the unfinished Domus Nova, built by Luca Fancelli from 1480 to 1484. The important Sala degli Arcieri (Room of Archers) was used as an entrance hall: the tipycal shelves with horrible figures alternated with "trompe - l'oeil" frescoes of curtains that hide horses are invention by Viani. After the entrance there are three rooms, the walls correspond to two floors of the Fancelli' s costruction. The Sala di Giuditta (Judith' s room) was called so because the Neapolitan Pietro Menghi painted canvases that show the story of the Jew heroine. The Sala del Labirinto (Room of the Labyrinth) and the Sala del Crogiolo (Room of the Crucible) are called so thanks to the wooden ceilings, put there by Viani who dismantled them from the Palazzo di San Sebastiano (XV century), decorated with blue golden wooden pilars. The three rooms were connected with the "loggiato" that Viani transformed into a gallery, used as an Art Gallery until 1779. During the Austrian domination, it was transformed by Giocondo Albertolli in Galleria degli Specchi (Gallery of the Mirrors) using the previous decoration with stuccos and neoclassic ornaments according to the French taste. The vault is covered by frescoes dating from the XVIIth century showing allegories; the lunette with the Liberal Arts (above the entrance of the Corridoio dei Mori (Corridor of the Moors)) is dated 1618 by Carlo Santner.
Back to the index Back to the visit