22 - Martin de Vos (Antwerp, 1532 - 1603)

Martin de Vos (Antwerp, 1532 - 1603) “The Seven Works of Mercy” Oil on panel. Signed “MDVS” and dated 1595. 82 x 137 cm. An exceptional work of late Flemish Mannerism, combining the meticulous attention to detail characteristic of the Low Countries with the dramatic monumentality of Italian art, acquired by our artist during his training in Venice in the workshop of Tintoretto. In a perfectly theatrical composition, the painting conveys a powerful sense of movement, with the figures adopting forced twists and complex groupings that fill the entire space with great expressive intensity. TheSeven Corporal Works of Mercy provide the foundation for the entire panel, which is imbued with remarkable plasticity and richness. Jesus Christ blesses all the works of mercy performed with devotion and humility by his faithful followers, who attend to the physical needs of their fellow human beings. He does so within a resurrection centred composition: at the top, in the middle, Christ appears risen from the dead, seated above the iconographic ensemble known as the Tetramorph, representing the four Evangelists through the visions of the prophet Ezekiel and the Book of Revelation. TheSeven Works of Mercy are depicted as follows. 1. Feeding the hungry. In the lower left, a gateway opens to welcome the hungry. A married couple, the woman dressed in black and the bearded man wearing a turquoise cap, share loaves and pieces of bread with those in need. Among those waiting to eat are people with disabilities, the physically impaired, pilgrims and sick individuals using crutches, as well as a paralysed man without legs, positioned on the ground at the centre. He drags himself along inside a wooden trough, moving with the aid of hand operated supports. His face, rendered in striking detail, is particularly compelling, as he seems to scrutinise all of us who stop to contemplate the painting. One might even imagine that this figure could be a possible self portrait of the painter, who seeks to confront us with a moral question. 2. Giving drink to the thirsty. Immediately to the right of the centre, beneath the figure of Christ the Redeemer, a man and a woman offer drink to the poor and sick, who stand in rows carrying jugs, cups, plates, small serving dishes and bowls, which they fill from their basins. 3. Sheltering the pilgrim or welcoming the stranger. This act of mercy is represented by the building with a gateway, which resembles a church. A priest or religious figure emerges from it to receive a poor man seeking shelter. 4. Clothing the naked. In the upper left, on a covered terrace supported by columns, people provide clothing for the poor and naked who approach them. 5. Visiting the sick. In the upper right, within a loggia with open windows, a sick person lies in bed receiving a visitor. 6. Visiting the prisoner or ransoming the captive. The captive appears inside the reddish tower on the right, which has a vaulted ceiling and a single barred window. He gazes through the bars at the scenes taking place outside, while two men come to visit him. 7. Burying the dead. At the lower right edge of the painting, a compassionate man wraps the bodies of the deceased and buries them in freshly dug graves. Martín de Vos masterfully depicts highly realistic, almost psychological facial expressions that speak for themselves. He meticulously renders garments and clothing, allowing us to distinguish the social rank of each figure, as well as the everyday utensils and objects of the period, which further enrich and refine the work. He also integrates the landscape and architecture with great skill, employing classically inspired architectural backgrounds and carefully detailed landscapes that create spatial depth and provide a fitting setting for the Works of Mercy. These scenes are intended to function as a vivid and compelling form of catechesis, conveying their message at a glance. Within the limited space of a single painting, the artist thus establishes himself as a major architect of Counter Reformation iconography in his region. Martín de Vos's exceptional draughtsmanship deserves particular attention. If each figure is considered individually, it becomes a perfectly composed image in its own right. The lines are clean, assured and extraordinarily descriptive. This magnificent work by De Vos offers a window into the search for order in an era marked by instability. Its allegorical images, in which we can all recognise aspects of ourselves, function as a psychological balm, offering doctrinal certainties, moral consolation and a reminder of salvation in the face of the chaos of the age. Finally, our artist uses this and other paintings of the same genre to appeal directly to the individual's conscience, employing the fear of damnation and the hope of redemption as powerful incentives for shaping the moral conduct of the contemporary viewer.