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

Editor: So, here we have a detail from "Allegory of March – Triumph of Minerva and Sign of Aries," a fresco dating back to 1470 by Francesco del Cossa. It’s just packed with figures and details! The division into the upper and lower sections makes it feel a bit like a dream. What’s your take on it? Curator: Oh, dreamlike indeed! It feels like peering into someone's opulent imagination, doesn't it? The layering of the classical figures against scenes of courtly life is especially fascinating. Do you see how Minerva, goddess of wisdom and warfare, presides over a scene that blends the earthly and the divine? Editor: Absolutely! The contrast between the grounded reality of the court and the ethereal quality of the gods is striking. And Aries, representing March, the start of spring, seems ready for a hunt! Curator: It’s a fascinating contrast! Cossa really played with that juxtaposition. Consider what he’s saying about power and influence here. Is it all about warfare and divinity, or is there also an implication that power stems from social and political life? Perhaps the people on earth aspire to be like Aries! Editor: Hmmm... Interesting. Perhaps it's both, a dance between the ideal and the real. Curator: A divine comedy, of sorts. A little social commentary served with vibrant colour and classical flourish. Cossa invites us to see that those in the court want to imitate the celestial gods. Editor: It’s amazing how much is packed into one fresco, layers upon layers. Thank you for helping unpack those layers, literally. Curator: My pleasure! I find it particularly powerful how we still read new meanings into artwork after centuries. These works are made for continuous rediscovering!