Mantua, Ducal Palace,The Hall of the Popes:
The Great Sinopia of the Tournament

The Great Sinopia of the Tournament, by Pisanello. In the Hall of Popes the sinopia (torn from the southeast wall of the Hall of Pisanello) of the tournament scene is preserved. Although several variations were introduced in the final fresco, the grand and tumultuous design of the scene can still be recognized here, with horses and knights charging into battle, the bodies of the fallen, and bared swords. Among the other knights, in the lower right corner, the figure of the most richly dressed knight stands out. He wears a large-brimmed hat and is very similar to a preparatory drawing by Pisanello currently housed in the Louvre. This is Bohort, and in this character, it has been suggested that the patron of the paintings, Gianfrancesco Gonzaga, can be recognized.