The Italian painter Ambrogio Lorenzetti (born c. 1285/1290, died 1348 in Siena) is famous for the three frescoes still displayed on the walls of the “Room of the Nine” in the Palace of Siena City Government. These murals consist of three allegories representing: Good Government, Bad Government, and their effects on the urban and rural life. The frescos, dating back to 1338-39, are among the best known and preserved masterworks of early renaissance “secular” (i.e. non religious, or civic) painting. The allegory of a well-governed city is published on the home page of this site. Here we reproduce the allegory of good administration of policy and justice.

What does this have to do with frugality? The big, idealistic message here is that when looking for individual gains, human beings often forget about the value of peace and collective harmony, which gives back more than the small belongings one can possibly appropriate by acts of violence and immorality. Likewise, the wisest rulers (in the Renaissance Siena, the “Council of Nine” was the actual City Government) are those who defend and protect business and social life against the contaminations of unjustice and corruption.

Next Pioneer: Bernard Mandeville

Back to the Pioneers Home Page