WORK UNDER A GOOD GOVERNMENT. REFLECTIONS ON THE ALLEGORY OF GOOD AND BAD GOVERNMENT BY AMBROGIO LORENZETTI

In 1339, Ambrogio Lorenzetti completed a series of frescoes depicting the Allegory of Good Government, the Consequences of Good Government and the Allegory of Bad Government adorning the Sala della Pace in Sienese Palazzo Publico. The first fresco can be read as a philosophical treatise depicting the values that should guide rulers to ensure peace and harmony among their subjects. Particularly evident is the role of justice (aequitas), the source of which is wisdom, and which leads to harmony among citizens. Justice is also presented as one of the virtues of rulers. The uniqueness of this work lies not only in its universal and still relevant message, but also in its depiction of an ideal city in which citizens are primarily occupied with work.