Day 2
Review the vocabulary words from the previous day and have several students share their sentence on the fresco's theme, based on first impressions. Reintroduce the slide and ask the students to reconsider the last three questions from day one (see above) in light of what they read for homework about the Renaissance city-state.
At this point, the teacher may want to introduce more specific iconographic material from the fresco (which can be found in Skinner's discussion.) Specifically:
- Identify the figure of the wise ruler enthroned in the center of the picture (this personage is possibly a depiction of the podesta, a contracted official brought in from outside the city-state for fixed terms to administer the day to day finances and affairs of the fourteenth century city state.)
- Identify the figure seated at the left as Justice and describe the figures being executed and the artisans receiving materials from her in fair exchange. (Illustrative of the role of Justice in providing compensation and retribution as a means of insuring equity [aequitas]and order within the commune).
- Identify the members of the signoria congregating in the center and point out the rope that they are loosely holding as the metaphorical cord they willingly hold to maintain unity and prevent disorder (discordia as represented by the unwillingly bound criminals in the custody of the cavalry to the right of the signoria).
- The teacher may want to allude to the other virtues arrayed around the central figure of the wise ruler, but detailed analysis may prove confusing and time consuming.
After linking up the metaphors in the painting to several of the themes of civic humanism, the teacher may broaden the discussion of civic humanism based on homework reading and terms.
Assignment: Provide students with copies of WPA art from a variety of public spaces (the teacher may also point out some sights on the Internet the students can visit to see the samples in color). Provide a short description of the origins of the WPA murals and the goals of the program. The students should describe their initial impressions in writing (see "Day 1" above) and write a sentence on what the main theme of the mural might be. (Time permitting, the teacher may locate some public buildings in the community that have WPA murals and then have the students visit one of these places and do a rough drawing of the mural for homework or extra credit).
Top of page