The Three Virtues (after Raphael) 1660 - 1670

Jan de Bisschop's "The Three Virtues (after Raphael)" is a drawing from the 1660s, currently held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work depicts three female figures, likely representing the three classical virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity, accompanied by putti. The composition is framed by a semi-circular arch, a common element in Renaissance art that often signifies divine presence or transcendence. The artist's use of brown wash creates a sense of depth and volume in the figures, and the overall composition echoes the style of Raphael, a highly regarded Renaissance painter, highlighting Bisschop’s artistic reverence for earlier masters.