Rise of the City

The growth of trade and the rise of wealthy cities in Italy helped encourage the political and cultural achievements of the Renaissance. Within the walls of these thriving urban centres dwelled an increasingly diverse mix of social and economic groups. This portion of a fresco by 14th-century painter Ambrogio Lorenzetti of Siena illustrates the energy and bustle of city life.

Archivo Iconografico, S.A./Corbis

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Lorenzetti; Siena

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