Artwork
De zeven werken van barmhartigheid. 2: Het laven van de dorstigen.
De zeven werken van barmhartigheid. 2: Het laven van de dorstigen. is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Master of Alkmaar. It dates from 1504 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. De zeven werken van barmhartigheid.
About this work
Overview
De zeven werken van barmhartigheid. 2: Het laven van de dorstigen is a 1504 oil painting by the Master of Alkmaar, part of a seven-panel series illustrating the Seven Works of Mercy within the Northern Renaissance tradition.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the second Work of Mercy, 'Giving Drink to the Thirsty'. A central figure in a red robe, holding a horn (likely a water horn), engages a diverse group of people on a gray platform, conveying communal charity.
Technique & Style
The Master of Alkmaar employed oil paint to achieve depth and texture. Vibrant, varied attire among the crowd, set against a backdrop of detailed architecture and a blue, clouded sky, guides the viewer's focus towards the central figure.
History & Provenance
Created in 1504, the painting is now part of the Rijksmuseum's collection in Amsterdam, as one of seven panels from the series.
Context
As part of the Northern Renaissance, the work reflects the period's emphasis on detailed, realistic depictions of religious and social themes, in this case, the Catholic tradition of the Seven Works of Mercy.
Artist & collection
Artist
The Master of Alkmaar was a Dutch painter active around Alkmaar at the beginning of the sixteenth century.
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