Artwork
Charity
Charity is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Cesare Dandini. It dates from 1636 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
A small fire burns in the background, which may symbolize the warmth of compassion or the transformative power of selfless love.
The painting depicts a woman nursing an infant, a motif traditionally associated with the Christian virtue of charity. She holds a pitcher, a vessel often linked to acts of almsgiving or hospitality, reinforcing the theme of charitable care. A small fire burns in the background, which may symbolize the warmth of compassion or the transformative power of selfless love.
The allegorical figure of Charity is thus rendered through familiar Renaissance iconography, emphasizing nurturing, generosity, and the moral duty to aid others.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1636, this work by Cesare Dandini is an oil painting on canvas. The composition measures approximately 119.7 by 105.4 centimeters and depicts an allegorical scene featuring a woman, an infant, a fire, and a pitcher. As a painted allegory, the piece utilizes the fluid properties of oil to render its figures and symbolic elements. The work is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
Charity is an oil‑on‑canvas painting executed in 1636 by Cesare Dandini, as recorded in contemporary documentation and confirmed by the work’s entry in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The piece measures 119.7 cm by 105.4 cm and portrays a woman holding an infant amidst symbolic fire and a pitcher, an allegorical composition typical of the period. Following its creation, the work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains today.
No earlier owners are documented, and the painting’s provenance is therefore limited to its production in 1636 and subsequent acquisition by the museum.
Cesare Dandini's oil-on-canvas painting Charity, created in 1636, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, which depicts an allegorical scene featuring a woman, an infant, a fire, and a pitcher, measures 119.7 cm in height and 105.4 cm in width. While the painting is confirmed to be part of the museum's permanent holdings, the provided sources do not specify the exact accession or inventory number assigned to the piece.
Furthermore, the available documentation does not record any specific past or future exhibition history for this work within the museum or elsewhere.
Context
Cesare Dandini’s 1636 oil painting Charity, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies Baroque-era allegorical representation through its depiction of a woman, infant, fire, and pitcher. Measuring 119.7 × 105.4 cm, the work reflects the artist’s engagement with devotional subjects and symbolic iconography common in early‑modern Italian art. Its inclusion in a major public collection underscores scholarly interest in Dandini’s contribution to the genre of personified virtues, situating the piece within broader discussions of 17th‑century visual moralism.
Overview
Cesare Dandini, a Florentine painter of the Italian Baroque period, completed Charity in 1636. Executed in oil paint, this artwork presents an allegorical scene characteristic of early Baroque Italian art. The composition features a central female figure with children, embodying the virtue of kindness and care.
Dandini's work reflects the stylistic trends prevalent in Florence during the 17th century, showcasing his contribution to the era's artistic landscape.
Artist & collection
Artist
Cesare Dandini (1 October 1596– 7 February 1657) was an Italian Baroque painter, active mainly in his native city of Florence.
