La quattrocentesca sala dei Profeti in casa Romei a Ferrara

Abstract: The essay delves into an intriguing case study that is somewhat unknown and scarcely explored by critics. It concerns the so-called «sala dei Profeti», a space within the Ferrarese residence of Giovanni Romei, a successful entrepreneur in Ferrara during the second half of the XV century. The cycle consists of four trees populated by heads of prophets, from whose mouths long scrolls unfold with quotations taken from the Old Testament. In this contribution, the author deciphers all the inscriptions, reflecting also on the role of the environment within Romei’s residence, on the figure of the patron, and on the chronology of its execution.