Gallery Museum Palace Valenti Gonzaga
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Palace Valenti Gonzaga
The Gallery Museum Palazzo Valenti Gonzaga in Mantua
The Gallery Museum Valenti Gonzaga is located in the most representative part of the piano nobile. The premises consist of more than 500 square meters; they are structured as an open-space composed by the entrance hall or "Gallery" , the "Camera del Figliuol Prodigo", the "Chapel", the “Stanza del trionfo del Tempo sulla Fama" and the "Stanza degli Stemmi."
All the rooms are studded and decorated with frescoes attributed to Flemish painter Frans Geffels from Antwerp (1625-1694) and with 18 statues, which are considered to be the work of the sculptor and stucco decorator Giovan Battista Barberini from Como (1625-1691).
The facade of the palace is the work of the architect Nicolò Sebregondi (1595-1652) the same who designed Villa Favorita, commissioned by the Duke of Mantua Ferdinando Gonzaga (1587-1626), second son of Vincenzo I and Eleonora de'Medici.
The property of the Gallery Museum Valenti Gonzaga extends and includes also a small roof garden and large rustics of the fifteenth century, (ice-house, storeroom and refectory).
A brief history of Palazzo Valenti Gonzaga.
During the period of the Gonzaga family’s power Palazzo Valenti Gonzaga, built in via Pietro Frattini (Contrada del Cervo) in the south area of the canal Rio, was called Monticelli’s or Sant'Egidio’s palace, referring to the Church in front of it.
The magnificent building was commissioned by the Valenti, noble family, perhaps of Lombard origin, which had already moved to Mantua in the fourteenth century and which lived and operated in the town for over 400 years. In 1518 the noble knight Valente Valenti had the honour to acquire Gonzaga’s family name and emblem for a Decree of Marquis Francesco II, Lord of Mantua. The realization of the historical palace was the work of several architects, painters, stucco decorators, major artists, including: Frans Geffels, (almost contemporary of Rubens 1577-1640), Giovan Battista Barberini and Nicolò Sebregondi.
Noblewomen and illustrious descendants of rare beauty like Violante Gambara, Giulia Simoncelli, Isabella Gonzaga (Ottavio Valenti’s wife 1579-1630), Eleonora Coppini, Laura di Castelbarco, Barbara Andreasi, Margherita Gardani, Beatrice Bentivoglio di Aragona, Lucrezia Valenti Gonzaga Guerrieri, Giuseppa Turn u. Taxis e Teresa Anguissola lived and cosumed their loves and passions in the magnificent rooms of Palazzo Valenti Gonzaga.
Because of the Gonzagas and the Valenti's decay, the palace was abandoned and suffered a slow, relentless decline.
During the 80s and 90s the whole building was skilfully restored by the building surveyor Fante Silvio’s company in Mantua; the structural calculations were performed by the engineer Nosari Dino.
The palace was finally intended for residence, offices and art gallery thanks to the collaboration and to the several permissions given by the superintendence for built heritage and environment of Brescia and the superintendence for galleries of Mantua (Prof. Paolucci).
