Trascrizione
Sala dei Giganti was originally part of the Royal Palace of the Carraresi, lords of Padua in the fourteenth century. The frescoes that give the room its name were inspired by a book written by Francesco Petrarca, De viris illustribus, on the lives of ancient famous men.
We know that at the time there were thirty-six historical figures, each accompanied by a phrase that celebrated his life and his achievements. The intent was clear, to associate the da Carrara family to the values that the ancient heroes represented.
Of the original fresco cycle, however, only the figure of Petrarca remains, heavily retouched over the centuries, in the southwestern corner of the room. The rest of the decoration is due to the mid-sixteenth century renovation which converted the building into Palazzo del Capitanio, the military authority of the Serenissima.
The new cycle of frescoes took up the original one, albeit replacing the characters so to celebrate no longer a family, but the government of the Republic. Today you can see overall fifty famous men proposed as examples of military prowess, good governance, justice and peace.
If you had to redecorate the room once again, who would your Giants be? What values would they represent?