Charity was painted by Philip Galle in 1559.

Where can I see Charity?

Charity is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Charity?

Charity is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Charity?

Museum-quality prints of Charity are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Charity

Philip Galle , 1559

Charity is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Philip Galle. It dates from 1559 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower left, in image, in plate: H. cock excude.; lower center, in image, in plate: CHARITAS (Charity); lower right, in image, in plate: BRUEGEL. 1559; lower margin, in plate: SPERES TIBI ACCIDERE QVOD ALTERI ACCIDIT, ITA DEMVM EXCITABERIS AD OPEM FERENDAM / SI SVMPSERIS EIVS ANIMVM QVI OPEM TVNC IN MALIS CONSTITVTVS IMPLORAT (Expect what happens to others to happen to you; you will then and not till then be aroused to offer help only if you make your own the feelings of the man who appeals for help in the midst of adversity) [translation from Nadine Orenstein, ed., Pieter Bruegel the Elder: Drawings and Prints. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2001, p. 181.]

About this work

Overview

Philip Galle’s 1559 engraving titled Charity presents a densely populated scene in which a robed woman, identified by the Latin inscription Charitas, distributes food to a multitude of figures. The composition unfolds on a bustling street framed by modest architecture and a church tower, emphasizing the act of giving amid urban poverty.

Subject & Meaning

The central female figure personifies the Christian virtue of charity, surrounded by children and adults whose gestures convey both need and gratitude. The inclusion of bowls, baskets, and the act of handing out sustenance underscores themes of generosity, communal support, and the moral imperative to aid the less fortunate.

Technique & Style

Executed as an intaglio engraving, Galle employed sharp, dark lines to delineate individual faces and gestures, achieving a high level of detail on a metal plate. The crowded arrangement and precise hatching create a sense of movement and immediacy, characteristic of late‑sixteenth‑century Dutch reproductive prints.

History & Provenance

Philip Galle, a prominent Dutch publisher and engraver, produced Charity as a reproductive work after an earlier design by another artist. Active in the latter half of the 1500s, Galle was known for disseminating images of established masters, and this print reflects his role in circulating moral and religious iconography across Europe.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Philip Galle

Philip (or Philips) Galle (1537 – March 1612) was a Dutch publisher, best known for publishing old master prints, which he also produced as designer and engraver. He is especially known for his reproductive engravings of paintings.