Fortitude and Justice 1743

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo painted Fortitude and Justice in the 18th century. It's an allegorical scene, meaning it uses symbolic figures to convey abstract ideas or principles. At its heart, Tiepolo’s painting grapples with power. Here, Fortitude and Justice, both conventionally feminine ideals, are positioned as figures of moral authority. But let’s consider the setting; they sit amongst symbols of military might and alongside a classical column, symbols of a patriarchal society in which the virtues of women are often framed in relation to men and power. Consider how the soft brushstrokes and pastel colors contrast with the hard, phallic column. Tiepolo’s work, created during the height of the Enlightenment, asks what the relationship between individual morality and political power is. The artist seems less interested in maintaining traditional, gendered power dynamics and more invested in exploring alternative narratives of political ethics. Ultimately, Fortitude and Justice invites us to consider how abstract virtues are embodied, visualized, and enacted within specific historical and social contexts, personally and politically.