The artwork “Minerva Chasing the Vices from the Garden of Virtue” by Andrea Mantegna, created in 1502, is an oil painting on canvas, characteristic of the High Renaissance movement. This mythological painting, measuring 192 x 160 centimeters, is housed in the Louvre in Paris, France.
This intricate artwork vividly portrays Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, actively expelling vices from a lush, verdant garden meant to represent virtue. The composition is densely packed with allegorical figures and scenes that epitomize the eternal conflict between virtue and vice. The architectural elements, such as the arches, and the dramatic landscape replete with foreboding clouds, highlight Mantegna’s mastery in combining mythological narrative with Renaissance humanism. Cherubs and mythic creatures add dynamism and depth, making the artwork a rich tapestry of classical symbolism and Renaissance artistry.
