Camerini d'alabastro

The Camerini d'alabastro is a series of private rooms built above the Via Coperta to connect the Castello Estense with the Palazzo Ducale. They were decorated with works by leading artists of the time, featuring classical themes and elaborate compositions.

Duke Alfonso I d'Este commissioned this private study around 1517 as a space dedicated to art and intellectual pursuits. The project represented his significant investment in artistic patronage during Ferrara's most flourishing Renaissance period.

These rooms were designed for the duke's private use and reflect his taste for classical subjects and artistic refinement. They showcase how the Este family's passion for collecting and displaying fine art shaped the cultural expectations of Renaissance nobility.

The original artworks from these rooms are now scattered across multiple museums in Europe, so you cannot see the complete collection in one location. To view all the pieces, visitors need to travel to different institutions, with major works in London and other major cities.

The poet Ludovico Ariosto influenced the artistic planning and subject choices for the rooms' decoration. This blend of literature and visual arts in a single space was a distinctive feature of Renaissance culture in Ferrara.