45 The Seven Virtues: Charity Giotto di Bondone (1266-1337)

The composition presents a single female figure dominating the central space within a rectangular architectural framework. The background is divided into two vertical sections: one displaying a marbled texture in shades of pink and grey, while the other appears as a darker, muted blue. Above the figure, an inscription is visible. A band of text runs along the lower edge of the painting.
The woman stands erect, her weight seemingly distributed evenly between her feet, which rest upon a small, roughly rendered mound. She wears a long, flowing garment that clings to her form and falls in graceful folds to the ground. The dress is secured at the chest by a simple fastening, revealing a glimpse of the skin beneath. A vertical fissure bisects the figure’s body, disrupting the visual flow but also emphasizing the linearity of her pose.
In her left hand, she holds a large, shallow bowl overflowing with fruit – apples, pears, and other unidentified produce. Her right arm is raised high above her head, offering a single piece of fruit to a hovering figure positioned in the upper portion of the composition. This smaller figure appears to be an infant or child, enveloped within drapery, reaching upwards towards the offered sustenance.
The woman’s face exhibits a serene expression; her eyes are directed upward toward the recipient of her generosity. Her hair is styled in tight curls and partially concealed by a simple head covering. The overall effect conveys a sense of dignified grace and benevolent action.
Subtleties within the work suggest layers of meaning beyond the immediate depiction of giving. The architectural setting implies a formal, perhaps sacred space. The abundance of fruit in the bowl symbolizes prosperity and nourishment, while the act of offering to an infant evokes themes of nurturing, hope, and divine provision. The division of the background – the marbled texture versus the dark blue – could represent contrasting realms or states of being. The fissure down the central figure’s body introduces a note of fragility or imperfection within this otherwise idealized scene, perhaps hinting at the challenges inherent in acts of charity.