The Illusory Architecture of the Camera di Giove in Sassuolo

The prospective illusionism of vaulted systems is a research field in which the study of geometry, survey, and architectural representation converge. The painting defines a precise scale and orientation relationship with the observer, while the morphology of the vaulted system increases the architecture’s spatiality. Therefore, the study of quadrature framed in vaulted surfaces implies investigating systems based on stratifications of real and ephemeral information. The present research examines the Camera di Giove, a vaulted room located in the Ducal Palace of Sassuolo, an important residence of the Este family. The chamber represents a typical Baroque example of an extension of spatial perception, thanks to the relationship with the nearby rooms and the vertical perspective of the vaulted painting. The research suggests a path of analysis that highlights the geometric–mathematical relationships existing between the quadrature, the vault, and the architectural space.