Mantua, restored three 16th-century paintings recently donated to Ducal Palace

An important opportunity for in-depth study of Mantuan painting of the second half of the 16th century is offered by the restoration of three paintings that will be presented to the public on Feb. 28, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the Atrio degli Arcieri of the Ducal Palace in Mantua. The paintings, which were the subject of a generous donation made last September in memory of Ippolito Cazzaniga Donesmondi, a Mantuan collector, were restored thanks to the work of restorer Emanuela Scaravelli, under the direction of Sara Scatragli, restoration officer at the Ducal Palace.

The works being restored are Christ before Pilate and Jesus and the Magdalene by Teodoro Ghisi, and The Oration in the Garden, attributed to the circle of Lorenzo Costa the Younger. So there are already two changes since September: the Christ before Pilate was attributed to Lorenzo Costa the Younger and has instead been assigned to Ghisi, while theOration in the Garden, which was unpublished, was still in search of a name and has been deemed to be a work from the circle of Costa the Younger (so the artist’s name remains to be found, but at least the circle has been narrowed: indeed, it may indeed be a work by Costa the Younger, so studies on the painting will continue). The three paintings, which showed dissimilarities in their conservation conditions due to previous restoration work and different conservation histories, underwent careful conservation work. The restoration involved both the structural aspects of the works, to ensure their proper conservation, and the recovery of the artists’ original expressive and chromatic values, aimed at restoring balance and harmony to the compositions.

The public presentation will be a unique opportunity to admire these restored works before a new exhibition visibility, which will help to fully reveal the historical and artistic value of the paintings. Interested parties can confirm their participation in the presentation via Google form or through the infopoint phone number (0376 352100), operating Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

A forgotten work and its value to the history of Mantuan art.

This donation to the museum, which enriches the ducal collections, is part of a context of research and enhancement of Mannerist painting in Mantua, an artistic season that, as recalled by scholar Chiara Perina in her 1966 article, has long been neglected but is now receiving proper attention. In that article, Perina sought to put a face to the protagonists of that period, still little studied at the time, and among the works analyzed were precisely two of the three canvases that were the subject of the donation.

The Christ before Pilate, a work that seemed to Perina to lack particular originality but nonetheless linked to the teaching of Giulio Romano, had stylistic traits that the scholar traced back to Lorenzo Costa the Younger, one of the main painters of Mannerism in Mantua. The same attribution, which was also linked to an 1833 inventory of Marchesa Matilde Della Valle, was considered by Renato Berzaghi, who had suggested the possibility that the painting was indeed by Teodoro Ghisi, a painter who distinguished himself for his activity even beyond Italian borders, for example in Seckau in Austria. And it was precisely to Ghisi that the painting was therefore reincorporated.

Another painting in the donation is Jesus and Mary Magdalene, a canvas attributed to Teodoro Ghisi-The canvas, which depicts a biblical scene much loved by Mannerism, presents an intense and touching depiction of the two protagonists, marking a stylistic apex in Mantuan art of the second half of the 16th century.

Finally, the third work, The Oration in the Garden, or Christ in the Garden of Olives, is a composition hitherto unknown to studies. Although the attribution is not yet definitive, it is believed that it could belong precisely to the sphere of Lorenzo Costa the Younger, and it is not ruled out that it could be by the hand of the master, although at the moment it is too early to express an opinion.

The enhancement of the ducal collections

The director of the Ducal Palace, Stefano L’Occaso, stressed the importance of these works as a gift that enriches knowledge about Mantuan painting of the second half of the 16th century, a period that, while of great artistic value, deserves to be more thoroughly explored and celebrated. “These canvases are a precious gift to the Museum,” declares L’Occaso, "and they supplement our knowledge of Mantuan painting of the second half of the 16th century, a period that has proven to be of great interest and quality and that deserves to be consecrated with an exhibition. The Christ before Pilate is probably also, as Renato Berzaghi had already guessed, by the hand of Teodoro Ghisi; moreover, the teletta seems to be in some relation to Ghisi’s altarpiece, of the same subject, which I found in Sant’Agostino in Como and which is probably the one that the Mantuan artist painted for the Certosa in Pavia. As for the Christ in the Garden of Olives, which is slightly different in size from the other two works, it may indeed belong to Lorenzo Costa the Younger, but it is still too early to express an opinion. I hope, finally, that this gesture can be an example for other collectors: donating to the Ducal Palace can be a civic act, a way to remember a loved one, to participate in the growth of the Ducal Palace, the cultural reality of Mantua that is everyone’s heritage."

The three works, thanks to donation and restoration, will be a new point of reference for the rediscovery of Mantuan Mannerism. Not only do they enrich the collection of the Ducal Palace, but they offer new keys to better understand the evolution of art in a historical period of great cultural ferment. Their presentation to the public will be an important opportunity to learn more about the history of these paintings.

Mantua, restored three 16th-century paintings recently donated to Ducal Palace

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.