The History of the Church through 100 Masterpieces

A Celebration of Charity

The History of the Church 38 A Celebration of Charity The virtue of charity is more easily illustrated than the virtue of hope, which is an internal and intimate sentiment. In addition to allegorical and symbolical representations, a number of paintings celebrate charity by providing examples of the virtue expressed in deeds. In this category, there are two themes that vie for popularity: the Good Samaritan nursing the victim of brigands, and Saint Martin of Tours cutting his mantle in two to share it with a beggar. The distribution of alms, visits to the sick or to prisoners, the care of victims of the plague, in short, all manifestations of selflessness have been represented in art, at times portraying well-known personages and at others, anonymous figures The importance of these themes is reflected in the “acts,” prayers that every Christian should recite regularly—besides the act of contrition , there is an act of faith, an act of hope, and an act of charity. Lucas Cranach (1472–1553) Charity The Schloss Museum, Weimar ...