Guilio Roman: Plazzo de Te, Begun in 1525 Mantua

Giulio Romano
Plazzo de Te
Begun in 1525
Mantua

Background:

Court of Mantua

• Life imitates art here - concept of practised artifice
  
• Book of the courtier is taken to an ideal
• Playfulness in architecture
• The main palace (Plazzo Decale) is separated from the pleasure Plazzo del Te

Giulio Romano

• Completed both exterior and interior of the building
• did more temporary froms of art to entertain at festivities
• was a pupil of Raphael

The Palace:

• Intially a horse stable built for the horse collection of Gonzaga
• Becomes an entertaintment place - Charles V was hosted there on his visit to Mantua
• Temporary festive works of art like gold cutlery and accents were made for festivals
  
• These refined objects showed off the wealth of the family
  
• Vast complex with room for horses to run - unorthodox combination
  
• Playful architecture that plays with rules of architecture. This was important for visitors who could understand the artistic conventions
  
• Similar to Michelangelo's Laurentian Library
• All pediments dont have supports
  
• Rusticated blocks mixed with empty spaces and refined blocks
• Sense of the frieze "falling down" or crumbling, gives an unsettling feel to the building
• Architecture is supposed to be about stability. The unsupported structure is a witty commentary on architecture
• The playfulness is appropriate for a pleasure palace
  
• The palace was built by Isabella d'Este's son Frederigo Gonzaga. His mother's court used to stress morality
• Gonzaga went the other direction and got the wedding of cupid and psyche painted in his palace. The painting turned morality on its head
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