Always Reppin' Padua: An Examination of Campanilismo in the Works of Andrea Mantegna

• Main Author: Gorman, Sarah Kathryn Suddith
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2023
• Subjects: Art Criticism; Art history; Arts Management
• ISBN: 9798381448221

The Paduan painter Andrea Mantegna (1431 – 1506) was one of the most innovative and influential artists of the Italian Renaissance. His works have been the focus of numerous studies often focusing on his many connections within the city of Padua, his training under Francesco Squarcione (1397 – 1468), and other artists he encountered there during his youth. None, however, have investigated evidence of Paduan campanilismo within his body of work. Campanilismo is an important aspect of Italian identity, where individuals feel a strong sense of belonging, identity, and pride to the location of their birth, more powerful even than any sense of national or regional identity. At a time when Venetian painters and sculptors were working feverishly to create pro-Venetian propaganda with the aim of reinforcing the city’s mythical past, it is curious that Mantegna’s works have not been viewed as a counter to this movement in the form of pro-Paduan propaganda. As Padua had a true ancient past pre-dating Rome, a rich intellectual and humanistic tradition formed in large part by its famous university, and a strong Christian tradition linked to Saint Peter, Paduans would necessarily desire to push back against their Venetian rulers and affirm their own true identity. This thesis will argue for evidence of Paduan campanilismo within Mantegna’s oeuvre and that it was used to reclaim and reaffirm the city’s long-standing traditions and culture.