Below is the first part of a much longer article.

The Symbology Within Bronzino’s Allegory of Public Happiness

By

Greta Brookes

Bronzino spent many years as court painter to Cosimo I de Medici in Florence during the 16th century.

The painting above is called The Allegory of Public Happiness and like many, if not all, of the Renaissance works of art, it contains within the image what was once a well-known and understood Moral Code.

What we see here is a central figure surrounded by seven other figures with two more on the ground. What, at first sight, looks like a pretty but meaningless picture of half naked people is far more revealing to those who know the allegory hidden within.

We can read a deep story via the people before us.

Let us start with the central female.

She is Venus/Aphrodite/Abundance/Public Happiness/Felicita Publica :

A lady with a Garland of Flowers on her Head, seated on a royal Throne, holding a Mercury’s Rod in the right hand, and a Cornucopia with flowers and fruit in the other.

The Cornucopia declares the Fruit gain’d by Pains, without which, no Happiness. Flowers are signs of Cheerfulness, the constant Companion of Felicity. Mercury’s Rod signifies Virtue, Peace and Wisdom, accompanying Happiness.

…