On the longer wall of the room in the Salla is the fresco The Effects of Good Government in the City and in the Country.
Part of that fresco is Peaceful City.
This panoramic fresco represents several scenes indicating the life of Siena and its environment in the 14th century.
This painting provides the first accurate panoramic view of city and country (landscape) since antiquity; viewers can identify the city of Siena, as opposed to ambiguous settings found in other works of the time.
The city is filled with clustered palaces, markets, towers, churches, streets and walls.
All of these aspects are reminiscent of town scenes found on ancient Roman murals.
There are many shops, indicating good commerce and economic conditions.
The traffic moves peacefully, guild members work at their trades, a wedding procession takes place, and maidens can be seen dancing gracefully.
Dancers were common for springtime rituals; they also act as a metaphor for peaceful commonwealth in this painting.
The young women could also represent the Nine Muses of the arts and sciences from Greek mythology.
This fresco shows that if government is virtuous and rules justly, then the city thrives and prospers.
There is text along the lower edge of the wall that reads:
"Turn your eyes to behold her, you who are governing, who is portrayed here [Justice], crowned on account of her excellence, who always renders to everyone his due.
Look how many goods derive from her and how sweet and peaceful is that life of the city where is preserved this virtue who outshines any other.
She guards and defends those who honor her, and nourishes and feeds them.
From her light is both requiting those who do good and giving due punishment to the wicked."
On the longer wall of the room in the Salla is the fresco The Effects of Good Government in the City and in the Country. Part of that fresco is Peaceful City. This panoramic fresco represents several scenes indicating the life of Siena and its environment in the 14th century. This painting provides the first accurate panoramic view of city and country (landscape) since antiquity; viewers can identify the city of Siena, as opposed to ambiguous settings found in other works of the time. The city is filled with clustered palaces, markets, towers, churches, streets and walls. All of these aspects are reminiscent of town scenes found on ancient Roman murals. There are many shops, indicating good commerce and economic conditions. The traffic moves peacefully, guild members work at their trades, a wedding procession takes place, and maidens can be seen dancing gracefully. Dancers were common for springtime rituals; they also act as a metaphor for peaceful commonwealth in this painting. The young women could also represent the Nine Muses of the arts and sciences from Greek mythology. This fresco shows that if government is virtuous and rules justly, then the city thrives and prospers. There is text along the lower edge of the wall that reads:
"Turn your eyes to behold her, you who are governing, who is portrayed here [Justice], crowned on account of her excellence, who always renders to everyone his due. Look how many goods derive from her and how sweet and peaceful is that life of the city where is preserved this virtue who outshines any other. She guards and defends those who honor her, and nourishes and feeds them. From her light is both requiting those who do good and giving due punishment to the wicked."
The Allegory of Good and Bad Government