Wheel of Barlaam; Wheel of Aristotle with the Cardinal Virtues; the Judgement of Solomon
Meo Di Pero·1370
Historical Context
This complex allegorical painting by Meo di Pero combines the Wheel of Barlaam, the Wheel of Aristotle with the Cardinal Virtues, and the Judgement of Solomon into a single didactic program. Created around 1370 for the Fondazione Musei Senesi, the work reflects the medieval Sienese tradition of civic moral instruction through visual allegory, drawing on both Christian and classical sources. Such encyclopedic imagery served to educate viewers in the interconnected systems of virtue, wisdom, and divine justice.
Technical Analysis
Executed in tempera on panel with geometric diagrammatic compositions, the painting organizes its complex iconographic program through circular wheel formats and narrative registers. The style blends Sienese decorative finesse with the didactic clarity required by its instructional purpose.
