Pietro Gonzaga

Pietro di Gottardo Gonzaga (Pierre Gothard Gonzague in contemporary French sources, Пьетро Гонзага in Russian sources, 25 March 1751 – 6 August [O.S. 25 July] 1831) was an Italian theatre set designer who worked in Italy and, since 1792, in the Russian Empire.

A talented vedutist, master of chiaroscuro art and trompe-l'œil optical illusions, Gonzaga was primarily known for his fantastic yet deceptively realistic stage sets, and summarized the theory and purpose of his art as music for the eyes (French: La musique des yeux): "a perspective that changes in relation to variations in musical expression." According to Ferrero, Gonzaga was the first to promote scenic design into an art "in its own right" and shake off the derided image of mere decoration devoid of art. With age he lost confidence in his profession and aspired, in vain, to become a practicing architect.

Gonzaga was born in Longarone, Italy. He trained in Venice in 1769-1772 under Giuseppe Moretti and Antonio Visentini. He was influenced by the art of Canaletto, Bibiena, Tiepolo but most of all Piranesi. In 1772 he joined the art firm of Galliari family.

In 1779 Gonzaga debuted as solo stage designer in Teatro alla Scala production of ballets by Giuseppe Canziani and Sebastiano Gallet, and stayed with this theatre until the 1792 season. Subsequently he produced over sixty sets in Milan, Genoa, Rome and Venice. His curtain for the La Fenice theatre became a standard copied by numerous imitators.

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