Charity, from the Cardinal Virtues 1648 - 1656

This print, Charity, one of the Cardinal Virtues, was made by Nicolaes de Bruyn, sometime before his death in 1656. It's an engraving, meaning the image was incised into a metal plate, likely copper, with a tool called a burin. Ink was then applied to the plate, forced into the grooves, and the surface wiped clean, before being pressed onto paper. The technique allows for incredibly fine detail, as you can see in the elaborate border filled with fish, squirrels, and stylized ornament. Look closely at the lines defining the figures. Notice how their varying thickness and density create a sense of volume and shadow. Prints like this one were a key part of the Northern Renaissance visual culture. They allowed for the wide dissemination of images, acting as a kind of proto-mass media. The skill and labor involved are considerable, requiring a trained hand and eye. The resulting images would have been relatively affordable, making art accessible to a broader public, a democratization of sorts. It is no surprise that the subject here is Charity, presented not as an abstract idea, but as an embodied virtue, accessible to all.