Under the main frescoes of the Capilla del Arena in Padua, Giotto placed a series of images embodying human vices and virtues. On the south wall of the chapel, he portrayed seven virtues: Discretion, Strength, Moderation, Justice, Faith, Mercy and Hope.
Opposite them, on the northern wall, seven vices are depicted: Despair, Envy, Unbelief, Injustice, Anger, Inconstancy and Stupidity. All these images, painted in shades of gray, resemble stone sculptures. This technique was first used in the history of painting by Giotto; later it was called grisaille.
Each image is accompanied by a corresponding Latin inscription, and the images themselves are placed inside the “empty” frames, thanks to which the figures seem sculpted from marble.
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