Napoleon's Early Art Thefts in Italy

The Gonzagas’ residence for almost 400 years and before them home to the rulers of the Bonacolsi dynasty, the Palazzo Ducale is by far the most important historical sight in Mantua. The many independent buildings that together constitute the large complex of Palazzo Ducale were erected between the 12 th and the 17 th centuries and cover an area of more than 34,000 square meters. Also a museum containing more than 500 rooms, the Palazzo Ducale is indeed a monumental testimony to the history not only of Mantua but of Italy as a whole.

Just like the advent of the Austrian empress Maria Theresa’s rule breathed new life into Milan, so it was for the Austrian dominion of Mantua. The Austrians also chose Palazzo Ducale as their headquarters in Mantua and in 1780 the Appartamento degli Arazzi (Tapestry Room) – part of the Austrian rulers’ preferred quarters – were refurbished in line with the fashionable neo-classical style. Four years earlier, in 1776, upon the order of Joseph II, the large tapestries that now adorn the rooms were moved from the church of Santa Barbara as part of the redecoration.

Napoleon's HQ: When Bonaparte entered Mantua in March 1797 to complete the re-organisation of the city’s governmental structures and prepare for the invasion of Germany, he stayed in these very rooms, which haven’t changed much in the last 200 years or so. The influence of the French Empire under Napoleon is further acknowledged in the Camera dello Zodiaco (The Zodiac Room) adjacent to the Tapestry Rooms. Again neo-classical designs prevail, now with neo-Egyptian shapes. There are also four stuccos with Napoleonic allegories.

Rubens: Perhaps the most magnificent work of art in the entire museum is Rubens’ altarpiece of 1605, the Gonzaga Family in Adoration of the Trinity, on display in Galleria Nuova (or Galleria degli Arcieri). Actually, what’s on display is only a piece of the original altarpiece requisitioned by the French in 1797 from the church of Santissima Trinità. The size of the altarpiece meant that the French art commissioner had to cut it into pieces to allow for transportation. Also of direct interest is the oval portrait of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria by Giorgio Anselmi in Saletta dei Quatro Elementi, which used to hang in one of the main rooms during Austrian rule.

Location: Piazza Sordello. Opening hours: Tues-Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 9am-2pm.