Gallery

The first large room was the entrance hall at the house of Ugo Da Como. It is still called galleria, gallery, and was originally a “portico” so the side facing in the outside should be imagined as completely open, while the remaining decorated walls used to be the facade of the house of the Venetian Podestà. The coats of arms belonged to the various podestà who governed Lonato in the sixteenth century.

The podestà was the representative of Venice in these territories and after being elected between the most illustrious Brescian families remained in office for two years. On the lower part of the main wall there are three important strips of frescoes join four figures with armor, conductor’s batons and headdresses. They are the portraits of four mercenary military leaders; the second one on the left can certainly be identified as a member of the Orsini family.

Ugo Da Como purchased these portraits on the antiques market and placed them inside the galleria precisely because they evoke figures of command who can be linked to the various Podestà of Lonato.

People coming through the galleria doorway immediately saw  these serious figures who helped to immerse themselves in this very particular context, and, as happen today, revealed the wealth of the Venetian age, just as Ugo Da Como intended.

The arrangement of the furniture of the house has remained practically the same as once established by the last owners.