Description
The painting Allegory of Justice by the Italian artist Bernardino Mei is a work that draws attention for its baroque style, characterized by drama and exaggeration of shapes and colors. The composition of the work is very interesting, since it is divided into two distinct parts: in the upper part, we find the goddess Justice seated on a throne, surrounded by clouds and angels, while in the lower part, we see a group of people who dispute an object on the ground.
Color is another remarkable aspect of this work. Gold and blue tones predominate in the upper part of the painting, while in the lower part we find a wider range of colors, from the intense red of the cape of one of the characters to the dark green of the clothing of another.
The history of the painting is also interesting. It was commissioned by Cardinal Leopoldo de' Medici, who wanted it for his palace in Florence. The work was done in 1660 and is considered one of Mei's best, who was a highly valued painter in his time, but who fell into oblivion after his death.
Finally, there is a little-known aspect of this work that deserves to be mentioned. It is about the presence of a character at the bottom of the painting that has been identified as Bernardino Mei himself. This detail suggests that the artist included himself in the work, perhaps as a way to leave his mark on art history.