Charity

The young woman kneeling in the foreground stands out against the drapes in the background. She is wearing a lightweight robe that enhances her prosperous, sculptural shape and leaves one breast bare. She is surrounded by three children, one of whom is intent on playing with the robe, while the others cling to her shoulder and thigh, exchanging affectionate glances. Salviati has constructed the four figures as if they were a single body, harmoniously connecting every movement within a strongly sophisticated balance of elements that come together to create one of the most successful examples of what Vasari called the 'Bella Maniera'.

The composition is inspired by the undisputed cornerstone of Florentine painting in the early 16th century: the Doni Tondo by Michelangelo, which can be seen here both in the pose of the female figure and of the three children. However, the sinuous fluidity, the languid expressions and the precious nature of the details in the surroundings more specifically refer to the cultural hub that had been developing since the mid 1520s in Rome, at the court of Clement VII, as artists from different origins - including Parmigianino, Perino del Vaga, Giulio Romano, Rosso, Sansovino and others - came together with results that would influence the direction of painting through to the final decades of the century.

This piece was painted in Florence when Salviati was staying in the city to carry out public works such as the frescoes in the Audience Room in Palazzo Vecchio as well as religious commissions.