Vatican Museums-6 (131)

This wall decoration shows the allegorical figure of Justice positioned next to a seated Pope Urban I. Below the main figures, the lower register features painted architectural elements including caryatids holding a garland and monochrome narrative panels. The work was designed by Raphael and completed by his workshop to celebrate the virtues and history of the papacy.

The mural represents the late Renaissance synthesis of Christian history and Neoplatonic moral philosophy. Justice, as one of the four cardinal virtues, was a central pillar in the intellectual framework of the Roman Curia, drawing on the classical traditions of Plato and Cicero that were revitalized by humanists like Marsilio Ficino.