TEODORA AXENTE

Curated by Riccardo Freddo and Michela Eremita, the exhibition represents an extraordinary opportunity for the artist to engage directly with one of the most celebrated masterpieces of Italian art history: Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Allegory of Good and Bad Government (1338–1339).

Created specifically for the historic setting of the Palazzo Pubblico, Axente’s installation consists of two monumental polyptychs comprising twenty two paintings, conceived in direct dialogue with Lorenzetti’s iconic fresco cycle. Presented alongside the original frescoes, the works establish a compelling conversation across nearly seven centuries, exploring enduring questions of power, morality, civic responsibility, and the consequences of political action.

Among the most important fresco cycles in the history of Western art, Lorenzetti’s Allegory of Good and Bad Government was conceived as a visual and ethical guide for Siena’s rulers.

Rather than depicting a religious narrative, the fresco offers a sophisticated secular reflection on governance and communal life. Through a powerful contrast between virtuous and corrupt rule, Lorenzetti demonstrates how the fate of society is inseparable from the moral choices of those who govern.

In the Allegory of Good Government, the Common Good is surrounded by personifications of Justice, Peace, Prudence, and Temperance, while the adjoining scenes depict a flourishing city and countryside animated by prosperity, labor, and harmony. In contrast, the Allegory of Bad Government is dominated by tyranny and vice, where Cruelty, Fraud, and War lead to violence, instability, and decay.

Drawing inspiration from this timeless masterpiece, Axente reimagines Lorenzetti’s allegorical language through a contemporary lens. Her paintings investigate the psychological and symbolic dimensions of power, presenting figures suspended between strength and vulnerability, transcendence and collapse. Through her distinctive visual vocabulary and meticulous technique, the artist reflects on the complexities of the human condition and the enduring relevance of Lorenzetti’s vision in today’s world.

Installed in direct proximity to the original frescoes, Allegoria: Dedica ad Ambrogio Lorenzetti offers a rare encounter between contemporary painting and one of the foundational works of political thought in art history. The exhibition creates a bridge between past and present, demonstrating how the questions raised by Lorenzetti nearly seven hundred years ago continue to resonate with remarkable urgency.