Il Buon Governo

A painted political manifesto

Allegory of Good Government:
the face of justice in Siena

Entering the Hall of Nine means finding oneself in front of a work that, for almost seven centuries, continues to question those who govern and those who observe.

The Allegory of Good Government, created by Ambrogio Lorenzetti between 1338 and 1339 in the Palazzo Pubblico of Siena, is one of the most famous pictorial cycles of the European Fourteenth Century.

A unique work, because it does not depict a sovereign or a saint, but civil government, justice, and social harmony. A work of impressive relevance.

A painted political manifesto

With this cycle, Lorenzetti creates a true political manifesto: an invitation to rulers to exercise power with fairness, wisdom, and responsibility, for the good of the city and its inhabitants. A manifesto still valid today.

At the center of the scene dominates the figure of Good Government, surrounded by Virtues such as Justice, Peace, Fortitude, Prudence, Magnanimity, and Temperance, which guide the actions of the rulers. Justice weighs and distributes rewards and punishments, symbolizing the balance necessary to maintain social order. Peace, calm and serene, holds an olive branch, symbolizing the tranquility that arises from just governance.

The effects of Good Government on the city and the countryside

On the opposite walls, Ambrogio Lorenzetti painted the effects of Good Government: a lively city, with open shops, artisans at work, students, dancers, merchants, and farmers crossing well-tended fields.

It is one of the first urban representations in the history of art: a medieval Siena that seems to breathe, with towers, streets, and daily life. The countryside also appears animated, with farmers plowing, orderly vineyards, travelers on the road, and grazing animals. A harmonious landscape that reflects prosperity and security.

The warning of Bad Government

The work also shows its opposite: the Effects of Bad Government, with a devastated landscape, a ruined city, and tyranny crushing justice. A scene of great strength, designed to remind rulers of the weight of their choices and the value of the common good.

A masterpiece
of civic art

An intriguing curiosity concerns Lorenzetti's signature, discreet and almost hidden, as if the artist wanted to let the images, more than his name, speak to the rulers. The Allegory of Good Government is considered a masterpiece of civic art, a universal message that transcends the centuries. Visiting the Hall of Nine means entering a place where art and politics merge, and where every figure, gesture, and color tells the vision of an ideal city.

Visit the Hall of Nine in the Palazzo Pubblico of Siena and discover the Allegory of Good Government

An unmissable work that tells of the strength of justice, community, and the common good.