A sun that shines with its own light

Four hundred years after the death of Ferdinando Gonzaga, Mantua's Ducal Palace dedicated to the Duke of Mantua a major exhibition designed to explore the legacy of one of the most fascinating and complex figures of the Italian 17th century. Housed in the charming rooms of the’Flat in Santa Croce, the exhibition celebrates the central figure of the final, pivotal period of patronage and art sponsorship by the Mantua dynasty. A man of exceptional erudition, a refined intellectual and a passionate collector, Ferdinando Gonzaga He distinguished himself on the European scene for his extraordinary artistic sensibility and his ability to transform his court into a cultural centre of the very highest order. The exhibition highlights the distinctive features of his choices as a collector and patron, which took shape and became established during the formative years he spent in Rome.

Through a carefully curated selection of masterpieces, the event highlights the Duke’s special affinity with contemporary artists, particularly those from the field of Bolognese e Roman. Visitors have the opportunity to admire works of inestimable historical and artistic value, on exceptional loan from prestigious cultural institutions and galleries, including the Uffizi Galleries by Florence, the National Art Gallery of Bologna and the National Galleries of Ancient Art by Rome. A fascinating journey that rediscovers the figure of an enlightened ruler capable of making Mantua one of the most dynamic, sophisticated and vibrant capitals of the’Baroque Europe.