Allegory of March – Triumph of Minerva and Sign of Aries. Frescos in Palazzo Schifanoia (detail) 1470

Francesco del Cossa painted this fresco as part of a series in the Palazzo Schifanoia, in Ferrara, during the late 15th century. The series blends mythological allegory with courtly life, reflecting the interests of the ruling Este family. In this detail, a Black page attends a figure who is likely a member of the Este court. Within the context of Renaissance Italy, the presence of a Black individual speaks to both the expansion of global trade networks and the social stratification of the time. Black servants were exoticized status symbols, and their representation often reinforced racial hierarchies. The details of dress and posture underscore the power dynamics inherent in the scene. What we see in this painting, and in its representation of people, reveals the complex interplay between aesthetics, power, and identity in Renaissance Italy. It's a moment frozen in time, inviting us to consider the narratives it tells and the silences it holds.