City governance and visual impression management: Visual semiotics and the Biccherna panels of Siena

A major preoccupation in the contemporary organizational landscape is governance and how to cope with conflict uncertainty. These challenges are particularly evident of cities, their complex histories, politics administrative processes. We argue that visual artefacts can form powerful impression management, constituting ‘visual governance’, for dealing such complexities. construct a framework from semiotics Umberto Eco, extended by medieval aesthetics. analyse pre-modern case Sienese Biccherna panels (painted covers paintings linked city accounts) show calligraphy, heraldry pictures convey idealized reassuring images orderly administration, times complicated, disordered underlying realities. In demonstrating art accounting intertwined as tools governance, there resonances corporate annual reporting, we add both research research, pave way further interdisciplinary work on relationship between organizations.