Painted Facades

Is it true that during the Renaissance all houses in Mantua had painted façades? Probably not. But if you walk through some of the most typical streets in Mantua today, you can still see many frescoed exteriors. From the late Gothic era until the 16th century, simple structures show some highly inventive decorative elements, which are partly down to the tastes of the court and partly to the great Gonzaga dynasty. It is highly likely that even the great Andrea Mantegna readied his brushes to depict coloured figures for all to see.