Triumph of the Virtues
Andrea Mantegna·1487
Historical Context
Andrea Mantegna's Triumph of the Virtues (Minerva Expelling the Vices from the Garden of Virtue), painted around 1487-1502 for Isabella d'Este's Studiolo in the Ducal Palace of Mantua, is now in the Louvre. Isabella d'Este, one of the greatest female art patrons of the Renaissance, assembled paintings from the leading artists of her day for her private study. Mantegna's allegorical composition, rich in humanist symbolism, celebrates the triumph of reason and virtue over moral corruption.
Technical Analysis
Mantegna's intricate composition combines classical allegory with detailed landscape painting, rendering the various personified virtues and vices with precise drawing, rich color, and the archaeological accuracy expected by the learned Isabella d'Este.
