The room, called “camarino” (small room) due to its modest size, owes its name to the subject of some mythological representations depicted in the friezes, inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses.
From the entrance wall, proceeding towards the right, the subjects inspired by mythology are: Orpheus in the Underworld, The Torment of Marsyas (South wall), The Judgment of Paris; Bacchus and Ariadne; Dance of Satyrs and Maenads (West wall); the contest between Apollo and Pan; Bacchus drunk; Maenads tormenting a Satyr (East wall).
The mythological themes alternate with imaginary landscapes. However the landscape on right hand side of the window (North wall) shows a real view of Palazzo Te, as it would have appeared from the walls of Mantua in 1527, when the building was still under construction on the island, which the palace is named after.In 1527 the painters Anselmo Guazzi and Agostino da Mozzanica were rewarded for the pictorial decorations of such antique taste. The fireplace in red Verona marble is surmounted by the Mount Olympus and bears the dedicatory inscription: “F[edericus] G[onzaga] II M[archio] M[antue] V “], (Federico Gonzaga II, 5th Marquis of Mantua).
The inscription records that the decoration dates back to before 1530, when the Emperor Charles V conferred upon Federico the title of Duke. The lower part of the walls in this room, as well as those in most of the building, doesn’t haven decorations because it was originally covered by luxurious tapestries or leathers. Above the window (North wall), under the wooden ceiling moulding, you can see a portion of the frieze frescoed in Mantegna’s style, dating back to 1502 and belonging to Francesco II Gonzaga’s former stables. The chamber of Ovid and the next two rooms were originally part of the same apartment.
The room, called “camarino” (small room) due to its modest size, owes its name to the subject of some mythological representations depicted in the friezes, inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses.
From the entrance wall, proceeding towards the right, the subjects inspired by mythology are: Orpheus in the Underworld, The Torment of Marsyas (South wall), The Judgment of Paris; Bacchus and Ariadne; Dance of Satyrs and Maenads (West wall); the contest between Apollo and Pan; Bacchus drunk; Maenads tormenting a Satyr (East wall).
The mythological themes alternate with imaginary landscapes. However the landscape on right hand side of the window (North wall) shows a real view of Palazzo Te, as it would have appeared from the walls of Mantua in 1527, when the building was still under construction on the island, which the palace is named after. In 1527 the painters Anselmo Guazzi and Agostino da Mozzanica were rewarded for the pictorial decorations of such antique taste. The fireplace in red Verona marble is surmounted by the Mount Olympus and bears the dedicatory inscription: “F[edericus] G[onzaga] II M[archio] M[antue] V “], (Federico Gonzaga II, 5th Marquis of Mantua).
The inscription records that the decoration dates back to before 1530, when the Emperor Charles V conferred upon Federico the title of Duke. The lower part of the walls in this room, as well as those in most of the building, doesn’t haven decorations because it was originally covered by luxurious tapestries or leathers. Above the window (North wall), under the wooden ceiling moulding, you can see a portion of the frieze frescoed in Mantegna’s style, dating back to 1502 and belonging to Francesco II Gonzaga’s former stables. The chamber of Ovid and the next two rooms were originally part of the same apartment.