The Sala dello Zodiaco (Hall of the Zodiac) was the bedroom of Guglielmo Gonzaga and one of the most interesting rooms in the palace. It has an astronomical fresco of Diana’s chariot pulled by dogs among the constellations painted on the ceiling by Lorenzo Costa the Younger in 1579. The room was also Napoleon’s bedroom during the Napoleonic wars. The room was therefore also known as Napoleon’s. The krater (cup) of sacrifices and libations alludes to the immortality of the Gonzaga family. The raven, a bird sacred to Apollo, was transformed into a constellation by the god. The sign of the Virgin, with her ear in her hand, takes on the appearance of Astrea and Ceres and is the emblem of Vincenzo Gonzaga. The firmament revolves around Diana’s chariot, pulled by a pack of dogs. The pregnant goddess is the transfiguration of Eleonora of Austria, wife of the Duke of Mantua. According to the ancient tradition, Scorpio holds the sign of Libra in its claws.
