Palazzo del Podestà

This painting, that can be found on the fifth level, in a section of the building that gives onto Piazza Broletto, toward the vault, is among the most interesting brought to light. The yellow outlines seem to be those of a sinopia; it shows, among other poorly comprehensible traits, the upper part of a human figure standing in front of a tower with a clock. Most likely it is the Astronomical Clock Tower located next to Palazzo della Ragione in Mantua. It could therefore be a representation of the square soon after the construction of the tower, erected in 1473. It is important to notice that the tower in the drawing is turreted: the fifteenth century turret was replaced only in the seventeenth century, when the balcony and statue of the Madonna of the Apocalypse were put in place. The image, although difficult to date, must be compared with the inlaid woodwork in the wardrobe belonging to Giovanni Maria Platina (1455-1500) kept in the museum of Cremona, which possibly represent Piazza Erbe.