View of the Central Hall

The Villa Caldogno is the result of one of Palladio’s early projects. Its construction began in 1542. The construction of the building and the decoration of the interiors extended over a long period of time, brought to completion only in 1570. The fresco decoration was completed by Giovanni Antonio Fasolo and Giovanni Battista Zelotti.

The fresco decoration transfigures the interior spaces into a sumptuous architectural stage set. It unfolds in the loggia, the Central Hall, and two rooms on the left. The frescoes in the loggia and the Central Hall are the work of Fasolo, whereas the other two rooms, the Room of Scipio and the Room of Sofonisba, were decorated by Zelotti, with some contributions by Fasolo.

The walls of the Central Hall are decorated with four scenes dedicated to villa life, separated by monochrome figures of giants standing on marble cubes. These giants support the frieze, where putti and heads of the Caesars appear. The four scenes are The Card Game and The Invitation to Dance to the right; The Concert and The Banquet to the left.