Allegory (Allegory of Prudence and Wisdom) 1505

Lorenzo Lotto's "Allegory" (1505) is a small-scale painting that depicts an allegorical scene of Prudence and Wisdom. The painting, now in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., is renowned for its detailed composition and intricate symbolism. The figures in the foreground, including a nude woman, a satyr, and an owl, represent different aspects of these virtues. The landscape, with its majestic trees and a distant seascape, adds to the allegorical nature of the painting. Lotto's use of light and color further enhances the work's symbolic depth and complexity.