Detail from La Via Veritas

Detail from La Via Veritas

Detail from La Via Veritas

Various sins and temptations can derail a sinner from the road to heaven. The row of dancers is obvious but for the modern viewer some of the other allegories are harder to read: the three next to the violinist represent respectively pride, lust, and avarice. Note the people in the trees above — not so much sinning by stealing than literally picking forbidden fruit. To the left of the violinist, a Dominican priest takes confessions.

Allegory of the Active and Triumphant Church and of the Dominican order, or La Via Veritas in the Spanish Chapel of Santa Maria Novella in Florence