Talarico House

Among the many painted façades in Mantua, the most important from an artistic and historical perspective is undoubtedly the one at Piazza Marconi 13, a building which is now the surviving half of an original Renaissance house. Scholars have long debated the possibility that the fine hand on display here is that of Andrea Mantegna. There is no doubt that the overall inspiration and the specific details bear the hallmarks of Mantegna. What gives him away is the constant references to antiquity, the decisive and coarse brush strokes for the faces and figures, the supreme quality of the colours, the highly refined use of the playful angels, and the use of Tritons and Nereids that can be traced back to the original prints of the Paduan master. Moreover, many have wished to believe that Mantegna, who we know lived in the area just before the district, resided under this very roof. What we now know for certain is that in the late 15th century the building belonged to the Viani family. In fact, Mantegna's daughter, Taddea, was married to Antonio Viani.