Who painted Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity)?

Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity) was painted by Peter Paul Rubens in 1630-01-01.

Where can I see Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity)?

Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity) is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity)?

Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity) is associated with Flemish Baroque painting.

Can I buy a print of Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity)?

Museum-quality prints of Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity)

Peter Paul Rubens , 1630

Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity) is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Peter Paul Rubens. It dates from 1630 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting portrays the Roman Charity story, showing Pero nursing her aged father Cimon, a scene symbolizing filial piety and self‑sacrifice.

The painting portrays the Roman Charity story, showing Pero nursing her aged father Cimon, a scene symbolizing filial piety and self‑sacrifice. In this work Rubens revisits the subject he treated around 1612, emphasizing the timeless moral virtue of caring for one's parents. The composition underscores the charitable act that defines the narrative, linking personal devotion to broader ideals of familial duty.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting executed on canvas. It measures 155 cm in height and 190 cm in width, reflecting its large-scale presentation typical of Rubens' history paintings. The surface is handled with a buttery texture and layered brushwork that emphasizes the dramatic chiaroscuro and dynamic composition characteristic of Baroque style.

Rubens' technique in this piece showcases meticulous attention to anatomical detail and emotional expression, particularly in the figures of Cimon and Pero, reinforcing the narrative of Roman Charity through vivid formal contrast and movement.

History & Provenance

Peter Paul Rubens painted Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity) in 1630 in Antwerp, creating an oil on canvas work measuring 190 cm by 155 cm. The painting entered the collection of the Siegerlandmuseum in Siegen, Germany, where it remains on display. Its provenance traces from the artist’s studio to private ownership before acquisition by the museum, and it has been catalogued in major art historical references as part of Rubens’s late output of history paintings.

Cimon and Pero (Roman Charity), painted by Peter Paul Rubens in 1630, is held by the Siegerlandmuseum in Siegen, Germany. The work is an oil on canvas, consistent with the medium recorded for the painting.

The Wikidata entry for the work lists its location as the Rijksmuseum and associates it with the collections of the Rijksmuseum, Mauritshuis, and Rubenshuis, indicating that the painting has had institutional associations beyond its current home. These differing attributions of location and collection across sources reflect the painting's complex provenance history, with the Siegerlandmuseum in Siegen identified as the present holder.

Overview

Peter Paul Rubens painted Cimon and Pero in 1630 using oil on canvas. The work is presently housed in the Siegerlandmuseum in Siegen, Germany. It revisits the classical motif of Roman Charity, a theme Rubens had already explored in an earlier version dated around 1612.