The palace briefly

The current aspect of the Ducal Palace in Sassuolo is mainly due to the interventions promoted by Francesco I d’Este in the first half of 17th century. The construction of the building was part of the ambitious program of urban transformation promoted by the Duke, who wanted to make the city of Modena a proper capital for the Duchy because of the dramatic devolution of Faenza in 1598.

The so-called “delight” was built on the pre-existing castle, according to written records its existence dates back to the beginning of the first millennium. It was firstly the residence of the Pio family and then of the De Rosa family before passing to the Este in 1599. The roman Bartolomeo Avanzini moved to Modena in 1524 and here he worked on the architectural renovations including the project of the creative Peschiera. He adopted some audacious devices to mask the irregularities of the site and he provided the building with fake axis of symmetry, which reminds to the hall of the central court, whose focal point is the statue of the Divinità marina con delfino realized according to the project of Gian Lorenzo Bernini

In the Court of honor, the illusion of a space regularity was given by the painting decoration –almost completely lost- realized by Angelo Michele Colonna and Agostino Mitelli, centered on the figure goddess of the hunt, Diana. Duke Francesco I wanted to use the architecture (also the painted one) as the expression of the munificence of the Duchy. As he known that it had a huge political value, he placed on the façade of the Palace some statues of Civil Architecture and Military Architecture, of which today we can see only some remains. An engraving dating back to 1659 suggests the construction fervor linked to this important building site. It is inserted in the volume celebrating the actions of the Duke, where there are also represented the works on the façade, in order to confirm the propagandistic value associated with the duke’s patronage.

In addition to the architectures painted in the vestibule next to the statues of Neptune and Galatea, Colonna and Mitelli were also charged of the decoration of the Staircase and the Hall of Honor. In this last room, the two painters painted the walls in an illusionistic way decorating the vault with some scenic glimpses to house the figures of Apollo and the Muses.

In the noble stage of the palace, there is also the figurative anthology of the Este courtly language created by Jean Boulanger, in Modena since 1638. During twenty years of uninterrupted service at the court of Este, Boulanger coordinated a team of collaborators in order to leave in the frescoes of the palace rooms, still perfectly preserved, the distinct eco of the dynastic and genealogical commendation. A significant and mature result of the expressive research of the French artist is the Galleria di Bacco. Here we can find his vague and ironic painting together with the flora and fauna inserts realized by the Cittadini brothers and the architectural outline by Baldassarre Bianchi and Gian Giacomo Monti, pupils and worthy heirs of Colonna and Mitelli Baroque scenic design.

The frescoes of Colonna and Militelli in the Salone delle Guardie

Between 1646 and 1647, Angelo Michele Colonna and Agostino Militelli realized the paintings of the Hall of Honor. On the vault, they painted an architecture with the figure of Apollo accompanied by the Muses, each one bringing a book providing the titles of the works realized by subject or authors at service of the Court. This representation aims at celebrating the Este patronage of the arts. The musical instruments showing up from the cloud on which the God surrounded by some Muses represent the importance of the art of music, which was longtime promoted by the Este dukes.

The frescoed musicians

The walls are decorated with illusionistic architectures presenting little angels, emblems, medals, festoons and musicians. In the 18th century, cavalier Fabrizi described the musicians as follows:

«Dall’alto della Sala compariscono sopra diverse dipinte ringhiere o ballatoi varie figure a capriccio vivamente espresse, e precisamente sovra quelle collocate. Negli estremi delle laterali pareti prossimi agli angoli della Sala medesima sono rappresentati diversi Musici, e Suonatori in atto questi di suonare strumenti a corda, e da fiato, e quelli di cantare sovra note musicali, ma in aspetto di giocondità, ed in attenzione di osservare fra loro la misura e l’unisono. La varietà delle idee di queste Figure, ed un non so che di determinato, e finito, e molto più la qualità di certi volti noti patri, e nazionali fanno credere che siano Ritratti di altrettanti Musici, e Suonatori, che erano in que’ tempi all’attual servigio di Francesco Primo; giacché molti ne furono al di lui soldo, e fecero parte della grandiosa, e splendida Corte di quel Sovrano».

G. Fabrizi, Sposizione delle pitture in muro del Ducale Palazzo nella nobil terra di Sassuolo grandiosa villeggiatura de’ Serenissimi Principi Estensi, Modena, Soliani, 1784, p. 7.

The music room

Among the rooms of the Sassuolo duchy palace, there is also a room dedicated to the music. It takes its name from the canvas placed in the middle of the vault. Today we can see a copy of the Allegoria della Musica painted by Jean Boulanger whose original piece is collected in Modena Military Academy. The painting dating back to 1640-1645 is one of the very first interventions of the French artist. The allegory was conceived according to the indications of Cesare Ripa. With a sheet of music among the hair, the allegory is sit, holding a viola in her right hand and is surrounded by wind and string instruments, piled up on the underlying steps according to a smart perspective game.