DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42129#0097
THE DUCAL PALACE IN MANTUA.
39
and are in a deplorable state. Of the apartments which are known by
particular names, the following are perhaps the most deserving of the
attention of the student, viz., the Appartamento di Troja,1 by Mantegna
and Giulio ; that of the “ Stivali,” by Giulio and Primaticcio ; the Ducale by
Viani, with unrivalled specimens of soffits in the proper sense of the
word ; and the apartment called “ il Paradiso,” the residence, or rather
hermitage, of the amiable and accomplished Isabella d’Este,2 widow of
Francis, last Marquis of Mantua, containing a museum of ornaments and
furniture of that epoch. Among these apartments are the rooms of the
Archives by Mantegna ; the room for which Titian painted the Cæsars
(which afterwards formed part of King Charles I.’s collection) ; the gallery
of the Arcieri (Bowmen) ; the gallery of marbles, and the giardino pensile.
These illustrations are, however, confined to those parts which are most
singular for their originality or their beauty, viz., the ceiling of the
Uffizio della Scalcheria (the Carver’s apartment) ; the gallery of marbles,
and part of the small rooms on the old3 Giardino pensile, to the
description of which we now proceed.4
a, Scalcheria—b, camere degli Arazzi—c, camera del Zodiaco—d, Galleria degli Specchi—e, giardino
pensile—/, corridor leading to the Corte Vecchia, &c.—g, Sala de’ Marmi—h, Sala and contiguous
apartment of Troia (decorated by Mantegna)—i, Corte Vecchia, now a military store-house—Ik, l,
Castello, now Archives, on the first floor of the ducal apartments—m, Sala, with the portraits of the
Gonzaga family by Mantegna—n, gallery connecting the Sala de’ Marmi with the appartamento
Stivali—o, appartamento Stivali—p, appartamento Paradiso—q, a passage leading to the cathedral.
1 To this apartment belong the rooms containing the Arazzi (tapestry from the cartoons at Hampton-
court), being the only place in existence where these finest works of Raphael are exhibited in a manner
which does them justice.
2 Isabella died 1539. The Marquis Francesco Gonzaga reigned from 1484 to 1519 ; he was the
father of Federico II., first Duke, the friend of Giulio.
3 The old Giardino pensile, now destroyed ; a Giardino pensile still existing, but of a more recent
date.
4 An imperial commission has just been appointed to examine what can be done for the preservation
or restoration of the classic paintings at Mantua. We hope they will perform their duty efficiently, and
that they will also bestow some care on the restoration of the arabesques, which have not been included
in their plan.
The paintings in this palace, too, are minutely desciibed in the Propylaeen, T. 3, pp. 46, 47.
39
and are in a deplorable state. Of the apartments which are known by
particular names, the following are perhaps the most deserving of the
attention of the student, viz., the Appartamento di Troja,1 by Mantegna
and Giulio ; that of the “ Stivali,” by Giulio and Primaticcio ; the Ducale by
Viani, with unrivalled specimens of soffits in the proper sense of the
word ; and the apartment called “ il Paradiso,” the residence, or rather
hermitage, of the amiable and accomplished Isabella d’Este,2 widow of
Francis, last Marquis of Mantua, containing a museum of ornaments and
furniture of that epoch. Among these apartments are the rooms of the
Archives by Mantegna ; the room for which Titian painted the Cæsars
(which afterwards formed part of King Charles I.’s collection) ; the gallery
of the Arcieri (Bowmen) ; the gallery of marbles, and the giardino pensile.
These illustrations are, however, confined to those parts which are most
singular for their originality or their beauty, viz., the ceiling of the
Uffizio della Scalcheria (the Carver’s apartment) ; the gallery of marbles,
and part of the small rooms on the old3 Giardino pensile, to the
description of which we now proceed.4
a, Scalcheria—b, camere degli Arazzi—c, camera del Zodiaco—d, Galleria degli Specchi—e, giardino
pensile—/, corridor leading to the Corte Vecchia, &c.—g, Sala de’ Marmi—h, Sala and contiguous
apartment of Troia (decorated by Mantegna)—i, Corte Vecchia, now a military store-house—Ik, l,
Castello, now Archives, on the first floor of the ducal apartments—m, Sala, with the portraits of the
Gonzaga family by Mantegna—n, gallery connecting the Sala de’ Marmi with the appartamento
Stivali—o, appartamento Stivali—p, appartamento Paradiso—q, a passage leading to the cathedral.
1 To this apartment belong the rooms containing the Arazzi (tapestry from the cartoons at Hampton-
court), being the only place in existence where these finest works of Raphael are exhibited in a manner
which does them justice.
2 Isabella died 1539. The Marquis Francesco Gonzaga reigned from 1484 to 1519 ; he was the
father of Federico II., first Duke, the friend of Giulio.
3 The old Giardino pensile, now destroyed ; a Giardino pensile still existing, but of a more recent
date.
4 An imperial commission has just been appointed to examine what can be done for the preservation
or restoration of the classic paintings at Mantua. We hope they will perform their duty efficiently, and
that they will also bestow some care on the restoration of the arabesques, which have not been included
in their plan.
The paintings in this palace, too, are minutely desciibed in the Propylaeen, T. 3, pp. 46, 47.