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After the death of her husband, Alfonso II, duke of Ferrara, in 1598, Margherita Gonzaga returned to Mantua. There, following the example of other virtuous noble widows, she dedicated herself to pious and charitable activities, the most impressive of which was the founding of a new convent dedicated to St Ursula. Margherita obtained permission for Antonio Maria Viani, Vincenzo I's Prefect of Building Works, to be allowed to take on the remodeling of the convent and to plan the new construction of the attached church. Some years later she asked Ferdinando Gonzaga, the son of Vincenzo to allow Fetti to work for her at the convent. He executed several works for the church and convent, the two most important are the big lunettes representing The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes and Margherita Gonzaga Receiving the Model of the Church of St Ursula from Antonio Maria Viani, now in the Palazzo Ducale in Mantua. The latter painting was part of a series of four monochromatic works representing edifying scenes from the duchess's life.
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