This work belongs to a main work

Related external works: preliminary drawing

Pieter Bruegel d.Ä.: Caritas, 1559, Tuschfeder in Braun auf Papier, 224 x 293 mm, Inv.-Nr. N 18 (PK), Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam

Caritas (Charity), 1559

From the Series "The seven Virtues"

Blatt: 228 x 301 mm
Platte: 224 x 295 mm

Inventory Number: 50280

Object Number: 50280 D

Status: On display, Department of Prints and Drawings Exhibition Gallery

Texts

About the Work

“Assume that what happens to others shall also happen to you. You will thus only be roused to provide help …” Thus reads the subtitle of this depiction, which unites the seven works of mercy—feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, welcoming strangers, visiting the sick and the imprisoned, and burying the dead—in an urgent appeal for Christian charity.

Work Data

Basic Information

Title: Caritas (Charity)
From the Series "The seven Virtues"

Inventor

afterPieter Bruegel the Elder

Series: "Die sieben Tugenden"

Production Place

Antwerp

Period Produced

16th century

Object Type

art print

Material

handmade paper

Technique

copperplate engraving

Label at the Time of Manufacture: Bezeichnet in der Platte unten rechts: BRVEGEL. 1559; unten links: H. cock excude.; unten mittig: CHARITAS; darunter: SPERES TIBI ACCIDERE QVOD ALTERI ACCIDIT, ITA DEMVM EXCITABERIS AD OPEM FERENDAM / SI SVMPSERIS EIVS ANIMVM QVI OPEM TVNC IN MALIS CONSTITVTVS IMPLORAT

Captions Added Later: Verso unten links Stempel des Städelschen Kunstinstituts, Frankfurt am Main (Lugt 2356), mit Inventarnummern (50275/50280); daneben Stempel "Brönner's Vermächtnis" (Lugt 307); verso unten rechts Stempelfragment Brönner (Lugt 306); verso unten links händisch mit Bleistift beschriftet "269".

Watermark: Mittig rechts PP, senkrecht, mit Vierblatt

Work Catalogues: NHD (Bruegel) 15
NHD (Galle) 311
Hollstein (III) 134

Property and Acquisition

Work Content

Motifs and References

Iconclass

Primary

11M33Charity, 'Caritas'; 'Carità' (Ripa) ~ one of the Three Theological Virtues
11Vthe (seven) Acts of Mercy
31D15adult woman
31D14adult man
31D112child
31A2221heart
25F36(PELICAN)water-birds: pelican
46A7crowd, mob

Secondary

11V1feeding the hungry, 'esuriens cibatur' ~ one of the (seven) Acts of Mercy
11V2giving the thirsty to drink, 'sitiens potatur' ~ one of the (seven) Acts of Mercy
11VV3sheltering strangers, 'hospes colligitur' ~ one of the (seven) Acts of Mercy - VV - Christ present
11V4clothing the naked, 'nudus vestitur' ~ one of the (seven) Acts of Mercy
11V5visiting the sick, 'aeger curatur' ~ one of the (seven) Acts of Mercy
11V6visiting or liberating the imprisoned, 'incarceratus solatur' ~ one of the (seven) Acts of Mercy
11V7burying the dead, 'mortuus sepellitur' ~ one of the (seven) Acts of Mercy

Similar works

More to discover

Website

Visit the
Städel Museum

To the website

Contact

Do you have any suggestions, questions or information about this work?

Permalink

staedelmuseum.de/go/ds/50280d

Last update

26.06.2026

preliminary drawing