''Allegory of Happiness'' is an oil on copper painting by Bronzino, probably first produced for the

Studiolo of Francesco I The Studiolo is a small painting-encrusted barrel-vaulted room in the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, Italy. It was commissioned by Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. It was completed for the duke from 1570 to 1572, by teams of artists under ...

, signed ''BROZ. FAC.'' and now in the

Uffizi The Uffizi Gallery (; it, Galleria degli Uffizi, italic=no, ) is a prominent art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the Historic Centre of Florence in the region of Tuscany, Italy. One of the most important Italian museums ...

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilan ...

. It is now in a fluted and gilded 17th century wooden frame. Most art historians date it to around 1567, and it is first mentioned in the Uffizi inventory in 1635/8.

Iconography

Happiness is represented as a young woman in the centre of the painting with Cupid as a girl, representing love. Prudence and

Justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...

stand on either side of her, whilst the conquered enemies of peace and Fortune, with her wheel, lie at her feet. Graham Smith argues that this ideal state of happiness is Florence, and that it celebrates

Cosimo I Cosimo I de' Medici (12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574) was the second Duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, when he became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, a title he held until his death. Life Rise to power Cosimo was born in Florence on 12 ...

for the great public well-being of the time.

References

{{16C-painting-stub 1567 paintings Paintings by Bronzino 16th-century allegorical paintings Allegorical paintings by Italian artists Nude art Paintings in the Uffizi