Charity personified by a woman with two children, from "The Virtues"
Original title: Charity personified by a woman with two childen, from "The Virtues"
kurzbeschreibung
Engraved around 1515–25 by Marcantonio Raimondi, this print presents Charity as a woman with two children. It belongs to a series devoted to the virtues and is executed as a copperplate engraving.
Description
A woman in a long, classically inspired gown and head covering holds a boy in her arm, while a smaller child stands at her side. The arrangement feels balanced: she occupies the middle, the children spread to either side. Fine burin lines and graded greys shape the contours and shadows of the figures, and light falls evenly across the sheet, as is usual in engravings.
Context
Raimondi, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, is best known for reproductive prints after designs such as those of Raphael. The series The Virtues was probably made within the Roman art world between 1515 and 1525. Prints like this helped spread allegorical and antique motifs throughout Europe.
Impact
The calm bearing of the figures and their even distribution give the sheet a solemn, dignified character. Clear lines and a legible layout produce a harmonious effect that is easy to read.
Technique
For printing, the design was incised into a copper plate and then pulled onto paper. This process allows fine lines and precise shading, which here serve to model the figures.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)