Ambrogio Lorenzetti

Allegory of the Good and Bad Government

The Allegory of Good and Bad Government by Lorenzetti is a series of frescoes
painted between 1337 and 1339.

Commissioned by the government of Siena.

Located in the Salon of Nine, or Council Room, in the Town Hall.

The series are made up of six different scenes:

★ The Allegory of Good Government

★ The Allegory of Bad Government
★ Effects of Bad Government in the City
★ Effects of Good Government in the City
★ Effects of Bad Government in the Country
★ Effects of Good Government in the Country
The message of the fresco was to send a political message and a political warning

The scenes show the difference between peace and opulence of honest rule
versus the ruin of rule by tyranny

The frescoes were also the first to give landscape a central role, which is the
landscape of Siena

This fresco is unique to the Sienese school as it is a secular theme rather than a
religious
About the artist
Ambrogio Lorenzetti (1290-1348) born and died Siena.

He and his brother, Pietro, were both painters who were part of the Sienese
school. The Sienese school flourished between the 13th and 15th centuries. The
style is characterized by Gothic style such as gold backgrounds, and idealized
figures. The Sienese school was constantly in competition with the Florentine
school.

Ambrogio’s style is more realistic, inventive and became more influential than his
brother, Pietro.
 Siena
Siena in the 1300s was a very rich city.

Many wealthy families lived in Siena and

ran large banks.

It was the main pilgrimage route to Rome

The Nine, a group of 9 men who were

elected by the middle class not the noble people to hold office

every two months, controlled the city’s landscape and architecture.

Allegory of Good Government
Allegory of the Good Government
Fresco on the side walls of the Council Hall.

In the foreground we see contemporaries figures of Siena, members of

Democratic government

Behind them are two groups of allegorical figures

The enthroned man on the right represents represent the city of Siena and Good
Government

Below his feet are sons of Remus, Ascius and Senius who according to legend are
founders of Siena

On both sides of enthroned man are six females who represent cardinal virtues:
Peace, Fortitude, Prudence, and on the left Magnanimity, Temperance, Justice
Allegory of Bad Government
The fresco is on the opposite wall of Allegory of Good Government

At the center of the fresco sits Tyrannia with a demon, holding a gold cup in his
hand alongside a goat, which is symbolic of luxury and lust. Tyrannia is a symbol
of corruption.
In the Allegory of Good
Government Justice is
elevated. She is a symbol of
truth and fairness.

Two angels on each scale

represent distributive justice
punishment and reward with
wisdom.

On the right we see a citizen

being punished, and on the left
citizens being rewarded which
symbolizes law and order.
In in Bad Government she shown as
fallen and her scales are broken.
Effects of Good Government in the City
The fresco is in the longer part of the Council room.

The fresco represents several scenes of city and shows the center of the city

The fresco shows various activities that are important to keep a city well organized
Detail of Effects of Good Government in the Country
Detail of Effects of Bad Government in the Country

We see a barren countryside, there is nothing cultivating

Sources
http://www.timefordemocracy.com/tutorials/allegory%20good%20bad%20governm
ent.pdf

https://www.wga.hu/html_m/l/lorenzet/ambrogio/governme/index.html

https://www.visittuscany.com/en/attractions/ambrogio-lorenzettis-good-and-bad-go
vernment/

https://medium.com/@shirqille/what-lorenzettis-allegory-of-good-and-bad-governm
ent-can-teach-us-about-good-governance-4a6c8f392172