The Allegory of Good and Bad Government
| The Allegory of Good and Bad Government | |
|---|---|
| Italian: Allegoria ed effetti del Buono e del Cattivo Governo | |
Detail of Allegory of Good Government | |
| Artist | Ambrogio Lorenzetti |
| Year | 1338 |
| Medium | Fresco |
| Movement | Gothic art, Sienese School |
| Subject | Allegorical depictions of good and bad government |
| Dimensions | 7.7 x 14.4m (room) |
| Location | Palazzo Pubblico, Siena |
| Owner | Fondazione Musei Senesi |
year, completion_date.The Allegory of Good and Bad Government, known in Italian as Allegoria ed effetti del Buono e del Cattivo Governo, is a series of three fresco panels painted by Ambrogio Lorenzetti between February 1338 and May 1339. The work is located in Siena's Palazzo Pubblico, specifically in the Sala dei Nove, which translates to the 'Salon of Nine'. This room served as the council hall for the nine executive magistrates of the Republic of Siena.
An interpretation of the paintings suggests they were "designed to remind the Nine [magistrates] of just how much was at stake as they made their decisions". Considered Lorenzetti's "undisputed masterpiece", the series consists of six different scenes; it is noted that the titles assigned to these scenes are all modern conveniences. These scenes are known as the Allegory of Good Government, the Allegory of Bad Government, the Effects of Bad Government in the City, the Effects of Bad Government in the Country, the Effects of Good Government in the City, and the Effects of Good Government in the Country.