Charity is a Neoclassical oil painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau in 1878.
Charity is both an allegorical and didactic painting. In Christian dogma, the theological notion of charity is held in esteem as the highest of the virtues. Not simply an extension of "love", charity is more related to interconnection and friendship and exists as an intrinsically human and lived virtue. According to many theologians, charity is a pre-requisite for achieving happiness, and yet the watchful, sheltering gaze of the female figure in Charity appears to be concerned only with the fulfillment of her children's needs, as the rigidity of her form is contrasted in the sprawling, eager reproductions of the children.
Not to be confused with The Charity, Study for Charity and Charity or The Indigent Family by the same artist.
Charity provides examples of:
- Earth Mother: More emphasis on the "mother" than the "earth," but here we see a very fertile mother caring for a gaggle of children right above a spilled cornucopia lying in shadow, forgotten by the children in favor of their substitute mother's milk. Similar allegories of Charity, whether in sculpture or painting, are not uncommon, with Bouguereau's being sort of a Trope Codifier.
- Embodiment of Virtue: The woman is the Anthropomorphic Personification of the Christian virtue of Charity. This is shown by her willingness to breastfeed several children in need, abandoned in the streets.
- A Friend in Need: As the name would imply, Charity is willfully giving her time, energy, and body to make sure to feed five kids who (given their wildly different crops of hair) are not hers. Since the children are all naked, it is likely that they are impoverished and either their parents can't afford a meal or they don't have a family to look after them.
- Ideal Hero: Charity is selfless to a fault, taking care of children who aren't hers because that's the right thing to do. At the time this painting was made, adoption was nearly an alien concept, especially if you weren't the kid's relative.
- Love Be a Lady: The type of Charity she embodies is heavily associated with her femininity, as shown with her taking care of several children and letting one breastfeed off of her.
- Madonna Archetype: She is the embodiment of Charity, the highest of virtues and the one that defines the Virgin Mary. Her design is clearly made to evoke imagery of the Virgin Mary, depicted as dressing very modestly (this differs between cultures) as she is breastfeeding multiple putti.
- Messianic Archetype: Implied. Since Charity's design was done to evoke the Virgin Mary, the putti surrounding her become associated with the Baby Jesus. They are Jesus when he was defenseless and couldn't take care of himself.
- Naked People Trapped Outside: Charity's breasts are out and all of the children are completely naked. The Neoclassical background implies that they are all out in public. Yet she's willing to bear the shame of nudity to help these kids out.
- One-Word Title: The title is merely Charity.
- The Paragon: Implied. Charity embodies the eponymous Christian virtue. As such, she is meant to inspire the viewer and the children in her care that we ought to be selfless and always willing to help those who are powerless to help themselves.
- Protagonist Title: The painting is named after its Main Character, Charity personified.
- Putto: Charity is accompanied by five naked toddlers, three of them in her lap taking turns feeding.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Charity has her shirt off to allow her to breastfeed the gaggle of children she has around her.
