Charity (Primary Title)
Bernardo Strozzi, Italian, 1581 - 1644 (Artist)
Charity, according to St. Paul (1 Corinthians), is the greatest of the three theological virtues; the others are Faith and Hope. Here, Charity is depicted as a mother, exhausted from caring for her children, one of whom nurses while the others tug at her arm and clothes. The idea of ceaseless charity--shown in earlier times as a somewhat remote and unapproachable ideal--is portrayed as a goal achieveable by even the humblest of people. Strozzi, following Baroque precepts, has made the allegorical subject emotionally engaging by his use of large figures, strong contrasts of light and dark, and the woman's dramatic pose.
Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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