Much of the sculpture in the Piazza Signoria, whether it is from the Medieval times, the Renaissance, and even later, is focussed on violent imagery - which is vividly portrayed in the excellent video below.

There are literally several beheadings, rapes, murders and other violent acts carried out in these marbles and bronzes - a direct reflection of what was conveyed to the population at the time. These statues are a message of fear, of social control, and policing of the populace through art. They display both the power of the ruling class of the period(s), and at the same time send a warning to the citizenship: stay in line, or this could happen to you! Such as what happened to the monk Savonarola - the spot where he was burned at the stake along with two of his brothers is marked in the pavement in front of Neptune's fountain which is prominently features in the video.