Roman Charity

Roman Charity

Roman Charity, Follower of Guido Reni

Roman Charity, Januarius Zick

Roman Charity, French Follower of Caravaggio

Cimon and Pero, Peter Paul Rubens

Roman Charity, Carlo Francesco Nuvolone

Roman Charity, Peter Paul Rubens

Caritas Romana, Hendrick Bloemaert

Roman Charity, Lorenzo Pasinelli

Roman Charity, Jost Amman

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Roman Charity (Latin Caritas romana; Italian Carità Romana) is the exemplary story of a woman, Pero, who secretly breastfeeds her father, Cimon, after he is incarcerated and sentenced to death by starvation. She is found out by a jailer, but her act of selflessness impresses officials and wins her father's release.

The story is recorded in Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium (Nine Books of Memorable Acts and Sayings of the Ancient Romans) by the ancient Roman historian Valerius Maximus, and was presented as a great act of pietas (i.e., filial piety) and Roman honour. A painting in the Temple of Pietas depicted the scene. Among Romans, the theme had mythological echoes in Juno's breastfeeding of the adult Hercules, an Etruscan myth.

The story of Cimon is predated, however, by an almost identical story recorded by Roman historian Valerius Maximus, who Pliny the Elder (23-79) retold, of a plebeian woman who is jailed and nursed by her daughter. Historians note that Renaissance and Baroque depictions have more incestuous overtones.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, many European artists depicted the scene.[ Most outstandingly, Peter Paul Rubens painted several versions. Baroque artist Caravaggio also featured the deed (among others) in his work from 1606, The Seven Works of Mercy. Neoclassical depictions tended to be more subdued.

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