Caritas ; Allegorische voorstelling van de verzorging van leprozen en onnozelen 1665 - 1685

Gerard de Lairesse painted this allegorical work, Caritas, with oils to depict the care of lepers and the simple minded. The cool blues and grays of the sky form a gentle backdrop to the warm red drapery and the flesh tones of the figures, creating a tranquil, heavenly atmosphere. Lairesse composes the work with a large female figure as the embodiment of Charity. She is centrally located, grounded on soft clouds, and flanked by two cherubic children. One child reaches towards her, seeking comfort, while she holds a flaming heart aloft, a symbol of divine love. The artist constructs a semiotic system of forms, utilizing classical motifs to signal moral virtue. The use of soft, diffused light and idealized forms speaks to a desire to elevate human compassion to the level of the divine. This emphasis on idealized form invites contemplation on the relationship between the terrestrial and the celestial. It questions whether humanity can truly embody divine virtues or if such qualities remain perpetually out of reach.