Charity was painted by Maarten van Heemskerck in 1545.

Where can I see Charity?

Charity is held by Kunsthistorisches Museum.

What movement is Charity?

Charity is associated with Mannerism.

Artwork

Charity

Maarten van Heemskerck , 1545

Charity is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Maarten van Heemskerck. It dates from 1545 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1545, *Charity* is an oil painting by Dutch artist Maarten van Heemskerck. Executed during his mature Mannerist phase, the work depicts a maternal figure surrounded by children, a visual embodiment of the Christian virtue of charity. The composition is now part of the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

Subject & Meaning

At the centre of the scene a serene woman cradles an infant while several other children lean against her, forming a tightly knit group that conveys nurturing care. A winged figure at the lower edge holds a scroll bearing the Latin inscription *Caritas*, explicitly identifying the allegorical theme of benevolent love and generosity.

Technique & Style

Heemskerck employs the smooth, idealised modelling characteristic of Mannerist sculpture, giving the figures a marble‑like surface and graceful drapery. Subtle chiaroscuro creates a modest sense of depth, while the balanced arrangement of bodies reflects the artist’s study of Italian Renaissance composition learned during his four‑year stay in Italy.

History & Provenance

The painter, a former pupil of Jan van Scorel, returned to Haarlem after his Italian period and produced *Charity* as part of his religious output. The canvas entered the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s holdings in the 19th century, where it remains on public display.

Context

*Charity* illustrates Heemskerck’s synthesis of Northern detail with Italianate classicism, a hallmark of his broader oeuvre that includes designs for engravers and a series of imagined Wonders of the World. The work exemplifies how mid‑16th‑century Dutch artists interpreted moral allegories through a refined, courtly visual language.

Artist & collection

Artist

Maarten van Heemskerck

Maarten van Heemskerck (born Maerten Jacobsz van Veen; 1 June 1498 – 1 October 1574), also known as Marten Jacobsz Heemskerk van Veen, was a Dutch portrait and religious painter, who spent most of his career in Haarlem.