Charity (Charitas) from The Virtues
Original title: Charity (Charitas) from The Virtues
kurzbeschreibung
A woman hands out food at the centre of Philips Galle's engraving Caritas, made in 1559 as part of his series on the virtues. Beggars press in around her, receiving what she gives. Charity appears here as a female figure whose generosity draws a crowd of the needy.
Description
One woman passes food to a cluster of poor people; at the left another woman tends to a child, while on the right men stand talking. Houses and a well sit between the groups, and everyone wears the dress of the sixteenth century. The action spreads wide across the sheet, divided among several parties rather than gathered in one spot. Even light and the monochrome print give the whole its character.
Context
Philips Galle (1537–1612), an engraver and publisher in Antwerp, was known for reproductive prints, and the 1559 virtue series belongs to his early years. A design by Frans Floris, a leading master of Flemish Mannerism, served as the model. Images of the virtues circulated widely in sixteenth-century printmaking and carried moral lessons to a broad public.
Impact
Figures lined up close together build a lively narrative that leads the viewer's eye through the scene. Crisp outlines and calm light lend the sheet a sober, instructive tone that invites moral reflection.
Technique
Engraved lines cut into a copper plate carry the motif, a method that allows very fine and detailed reproduction. The print on paper measures 26 x 33.6 cm, the plate itself 22.5 x 29.2 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)