The artwork “Madonna of Charity” is a religious oil painting on canvas by El Greco, created around 1604 in Spain. Exhibiting the Mannerism style characteristic of the Late Renaissance period, it measures 155 by 123 centimeters. This piece forms part of the religious art genre and currently resides in the Capilla mayor of the Hospital de la Caridad in Illescas, Spain.
The artwork portrays the Virgin Mary at its center, cloaked in robes of deep, glowing reds and muted blues, her face exuding an ethereal serenity. She stands elevated, surrounded by a cluster of fervent, upturned faces gazing at her with expressions full of reverence and awe. These figures likely represent the patrons or beneficiaries of the charity associated with the hospital. Above and behind Mary, a dynamic sky with lighter and darker shades creates a sense of depth and heavenly aura. The figures are rendered with elongated proportions and dramatic gestures, hallmarks of the Mannerist style, which often distorts figures to convey emotion and spiritual intensity. The play of light and shadow on the folds of Mary’s garments and on the faces of the onlookers adds to the transcendent mood of the scene, imbuing it with a sense of divine presence and compassion that aligns with the painting’s theme of charity.
