Charity (La charite) 

Alphonse Legros created this etching, called Charity, in the late nineteenth century. Legros was deeply influenced by the social realities of his time, capturing scenes of everyday life with a particular focus on the working class and the poor. Here, we see a stark contrast: a seated, impoverished man with bare feet and outstretched hat, juxtaposed against two women, possibly nuns, cloaked in robes, one offering him alms. The setting, with its imposing stone architecture, amplifies the divide between those who have and those who do not. Legros presents a moment of exchange, but it also hints at the systemic inequalities inherent in the act of charity itself. It raises questions about agency, dependency, and the complex power dynamics at play. It invites us to reflect on the emotional weight of poverty and the societal structures that perpetuate such disparities.