Ducal Palace: vault of the “Bridal Chamber or Camera Picta", which is a room located in the north-east tower of the Castle of San Giorgio in Mantua. It is famous for the cycle of frescoes that covers its walls, a masterpiece by Andrea Mantegna, created between 1465 and 1474. Detail of the vault illusionistically divided into painted rib vault and pendentives. Fake ribs divide the space into regular figures, with a golden background and monochrome paintings. In the center is the famous oculus. It is a round open illusionistically towards the sky, which was supposed to recall the famous oculus of the Pantheon. In the oculus you can see a balustrade from which a court lady leans out, accompanied by her black servant, a group of maids, a dozen putti, a peacock and a vase, against the background of a blue sky. To reinforce the impression of the open oculus, Mantegna painted some cherubs dangerously poised clinging to the inside of the frame, with dizzying glimpses of their plump little bo...
Caption

Ducal Palace: vault of the “Bridal Chamber or Camera Picta", which is a room located in the north-east tower of the Castle of San Giorgio in Mantua. It is famous for the cycle of frescoes that covers its walls, a masterpiece by Andrea Mantegna, created between 1465 and 1474.
Detail of the vault illusionistically divided into painted rib vault and pendentives. Fake ribs divide the space into regular figures, with a golden background and monochrome paintings.
In the center is the famous oculus. It is a round open illusionistically towards the sky, which was supposed to recall the famous oculus of the Pantheon. In the oculus you can see a balustrade from which a court lady leans out, accompanied by her black servant, a group of maids, a dozen putti, a peacock and a vase, against the background of a blue sky. To reinforce the impression of the open oculus, Mantegna painted some cherubs dangerously poised clinging to the inside of the frame, with dizzying glimpses of their plump little bodies.
The oculus is enclosed by a circular garland, which is in turn enclosed in a square of fake ribs. At the meeting points there are golden medallions. Arranged around the square are eight lozenges with a golden background, each containing a circular garland enclosing a portrait of one of the first eight Roman emperors.
Palazzo Ducale, Mantova (MN) - Mantua, Lombardia - Lombardy, Italia - Italy

Date

Oct 24, 2022

Credit line

Ghigo Roli/Photo12

Reference

GHR24A00_143

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Rights managed

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574,5Mb (80,4Mb) / 47,2in x 47,2in / 14173 x 14168 (300dpi)

Keywords

Balustrade Italy Lombardia Lombardy Mantova Mantua Palazzo Ducale Ducal Palace Camera Picta Camera degli Sposi Bridal Chamber Andrea Mantegna Art Artwork Painting Affresco Fresco Rinascimento Renaissance Nobility Aristocracy Gonzaga XV Century Il Quattrocento 15th Century Architecture Architectural Detail Vault Illusion Painted Architecture Rib Vault Pendentive Oculus Sky Putto Cupid Female Figure Woman Vase Peacock Medallion Emperor Roman Age The Romans Wreath Balustrade

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