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

Francesco del Cossa painted this fresco around 1470, forming part of a cycle in the Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara. The palace itself, whose name means "escape from boredom", was conceived as a space for leisure and entertainment. The frescoes combine classical mythology, astrology, and scenes of courtly life under the ruling Este family. Here, we see a hunting dog. Dogs were associated with fidelity, but also with the aristocratic pursuit of hunting. Courtly life is heavily intertwined with the cycles of nature and the cosmos, reflecting a world where social order is perceived as part of a wider, divinely ordained structure. The Palazzo Schifanoia’s frescoes give us insights into the values, pastimes, and self-image of the Ferrarese court. To fully understand this, we might look at court records, literature, and studies of Renaissance social rituals. Each element in this fresco acts as a signifier within a complex, highly self-conscious system of representation.