This scene might appear strange, or even somewhat obscene, but actually, this Rubens painting is a depiction of one of the Roman virtues: caritas, the loving-kindness toward others. This classical merit got great significance in Christian theology as well and became a popular theme in European art.
The specific narrative that Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) presents here is often called ‘Caritas Romana’. The classical story tells how Cimon, an old man, awaiting death penalty by starvation, is frequently visited in prison by his daughter Pero. She secretly breastfeeds him and thus saves her father’s life. One day, her actions are discovered by the authorities, but Pero’s altruism makes such an impression on them that her act is forgiven and in the end, Cimon is released.
Rubens, the most famous Flemish painter of his time, used the scene to perform his specialty: the depiction of human bodies. His talent in that area is visible in Pero’s voluptuous body, but to me, the most impressing part is the way Rubens painted Cimon. He really made an effort, by using many colors and different techniques, to show all the muscles, folds and wrinkles of the old man’s body. Note that Rubens, known for his predilection for fleshy figures, gave Cimon a reasonable amount of fat for someone starving to death…
The specific narrative that Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) presents here is often called ‘Caritas Romana’. The classical story tells how Cimon, an old man, awaiting death penalty by starvation, is frequently visited in prison by his daughter Pero. She secretly breastfeeds him and thus saves her father’s life. One day, her actions are discovered by the authorities, but Pero’s altruism makes such an impression on them that her act is forgiven and in the end, Cimon is released.
Rubens, the most famous Flemish painter of his time, used the scene to perform his specialty: the depiction of human bodies. His talent in that area is visible in Pero’s voluptuous body, but to me, the most impressing part is the way Rubens painted Cimon. He really made an effort, by using many colors and different techniques, to show all the muscles, folds and wrinkles of the old man’s body. Note that Rubens, known for his predilection for fleshy figures, gave Cimon a reasonable amount of fat for someone starving to death…
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