Ceiling painting (detail)

In the Stanza del Caminetto, a room adjacent to the central room on the ground floor, the centre of the ceiling shows a wreath of putti, the documented work by Antonio Circignani, called il Pomarancio (1560-1620). It is framed by four landscape pictures painted by Paul Bril, Giovanni Battista Viola, Domenichino, and Guercino. These were produced in a kind of competition between the four painters. Guercino’s contribution is seen on the right in the present photo. It was painted in tempera, a technique that allowed for swift, spontaneous execution and lush, rich colours.