Luca Giordano | Allegory of Temperance | NG6635

Allegory of Temperance

Luca Giordano

Temperance, one of the four Cardinal Virtues, holds a bridle and a clock and stands beside an elephant. Sobriety holds a key and rests her foot on a dolphin. Meekness (?) receives flowers. The figures at the bottom of the composition represent Sloth, Envy and Hunger. In the sky above are Voluptuousness, Youth and Tranquillity.

This painting is one of a group of 10 modelli, or elaborated oil studies, made in preparation for the fresco projects that Giordano created for the Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence. This painting is connected with the ceiling of the Galleria.

Key facts

Artist	Luca Giordano
Artist dates	1634 - 1705
Full title	Allegory of Temperance
Group	Modelli for the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Florence
Date made	early 1680s
Medium and support	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	97 x 101.3 cm
Acquisition credit	Presented by the Trustees of Sir Denis Mahon's Charitable Trust through the Art Fund, 2013
Inventory number	NG6635
Location in Gallery	Room 40

Why can't I download this image?

The National Gallery has endeavoured to make as many images of the collection as possible available for non-commercial use. However, an image of this painting is not available to download. This may be due to third party copyright restrictions.

If you require a license for commercial use of this image, please use the National Gallery Company's Online Picture Library or contact them using the following:

Email: picture.library@nationalgallery.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7747 5994
Fax: Fax +44 (0)20 7747 5999

Modelli for the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Florence

This group of 10 modelli, or elaborated oil studies, was made in preparation for the fresco projects that Giordano undertook in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence between 1682 and 1685.

Nine are associated with the ceiling of the Galleria and one, the 'Allegory of Divine Wisdom', is for the ceiling of the adjacent Library.

;

Modelli for the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Florence

More paintings by Luca Giordano