The art of any era often relies on the use of icons to convey its message. An icon is a single symbol used to represent a whole class of people, objects, or ideas. A person who becomes an icon often embodies the ideas and ideals of his or her era. During the Middle Ages, saints and martyrs appeared in art as icons of a good and holy life. Iconography is the use of icons in visual arts, though the word can also refer to the study of icons.
During the Renaissance, religious iconography remained a powerful force in the everyday life of most Europeans. However, by the 14th century, religion was no longer the only organizing principle in society. The concept of civic government became just as powerful in countries like Italy and Germany. In the city of Sienna, Italy, the ruling officials developed a clever use for the new secular art--to teach people about civic government. They commissioned the painter Ambrogio Lorenzetti to create three enormous frescoes representing good and bad government. Each is over 45 feet long, and one includes the first panoramic landscape painted in Europe since Roman times. There is no religious iconography; instead, there are icons of tyrants, good rulers, peace, and justice.
During the Renaissance, religious iconography remained a powerful force in the everyday life of most Europeans. However, by the 14th century, religion was no longer the only organizing principle in society. The concept of civic government became just as powerful in countries like Italy and Germany. In the city of Sienna, Italy, the ruling officials developed a clever use for the new secular art--to teach people about civic government. They commissioned the painter Ambrogio Lorenzetti to create three enormous frescoes representing good and bad government. Each is over 45 feet long, and one includes the first panoramic landscape painted in Europe since Roman times. There is no religious iconography; instead, there are icons of tyrants, good rulers, peace, and justice.
![Ambrogio Lorenzetti [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](http://s3.amazonaws.com/cms.accelerate-ed.com/image/535e7be2-eb43-4869-8551-52d756d426c0.jpg)
![By Lorenzetti Ambrogio [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](http://s3.amazonaws.com/cms.accelerate-ed.com/image/94222a4d-4622-46e8-81e8-937fe01d34da.jpg)
Question
Why are the murals in the Palazzo Publico of Sienna considered secular?
The murals do not contain any religious symbols or iconography.
