Artwork
Caritas
Caritas is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Guercino. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Caritas is a small copper painting attributed to the Italian Baroque artist Guercino, created circa 1500. Executed on a copper support, the work presents a serene, intimate scene rendered in the early Baroque idiom. It is presently displayed in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it forms part of the museum’s holdings of 17th‑century Italian art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a mother nursing an infant while cradling a sleeping child in her lap, an emblematic representation of charitable love. Behind her, a muscular, winged figure hovers, clutching a bunch of grapes and a cornucopia, symbols that may allude to abundance or mythological allusion. The primary emphasis, however, remains the tender act of nourishment and maternal care.
Technique & Style
Guercino employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, juxtaposing deep shadows with luminous highlights to model the figures and create a sense of three‑dimensionality on the flat copper surface. The woman's flesh is rendered in warm, softened tones, whereas the winged figure is depicted with more rugged modeling, accentuated by stark contrasts that enhance the dramatic atmosphere characteristic of early Baroque painting.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Rijksmuseum’s collection through acquisition in the early 20th century, joining a broader assemblage of works by Guercino and his contemporaries. Its attribution to Guercino aligns with the artist’s early period, when he was transitioning from vigorous naturalism toward a more balanced, classical approach that would define his later oeuvre.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (8 February 1591 – 22 December 1666), better known as (il) Guercino (Italian pronunciation: ), was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna.
