Wheel of Barlaam; Wheel of Aristotle with the Cardinal Virtues; the Judgement of Solomon

The room, decorated with multi-coloured faux marble panels and coat of arms, has been frescoed with the allegorical cycle of Aristotle, in which ethical and political messages were transmitted to the populace that frequented these spaces, which were in public use, by subjects inteded to exalt virtues and justice. The "Wheel of Barlaam" is based on a tale that can be traced back to Buddhist tradition, the story of the youg prince Josaphat who rejects a life of wealth and pleasure to embrace an ascetic existence under the guidance of the hermit Barlaam, who reveals the true meaning of life to him. The christianised version of the story included a series of apologues narrated by the ascetic to show Josaphat the vanity of earthly belongings.