Charity

In the Christian tradition, the figure of Charity is one of the three theological virtues, often represented as a mother selflessly caring for her children. Here, Charity gathers her skirts protectively around herself and the young children who play freely about her shoulders and in her copious lap. Charity’s white dress and blue cloak billowing out behind her echo the tones of the blue sky and white clouds at which she gazes above, associating her with the heavenly realm beyond as well as with the typical colours of the Virgin Mary.

Charity is a studio copy of an original painting by the Flemish artist Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641). It was common practice for a successful artist to employ studio assistants, who would help with reproducing their master's most sought-after works. Van Dyck himself had worked early in his career in the studio of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), where he made copies of Rubens’ paintings, as with Samson and Delilah (DPG127). The original version of Charity was produced shortly after Van Dyck’s return to his hometown of Antwerp in 1627-28, after several years spent in Italy, and before the artist went to England in 1632 – where he eventually became court painter to King Charles I (1600–49). The shimmering silks and rich colouring are influenced by the works he encountered on his long stay in Venice, Italy – in particular Titian’s (c.1488-1576) masterly use of colour.