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Original fileZorg van God voor de zijnen
About This Work
In the center, the virtues Charitas (Charity), Fides (Faith), and Iustitia (Justice) are shown on a hill, with Charity receiving bread from the hand of God appearing from a cloud. Below this, a small vignette depicts Christ performing the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. The entire scene is enclosed in an elaborate border featuring Latin scripture and smaller illustrations of biblical figures provided for by God, such as Elijah being fed by ravens and Daniel in the lions' den.
This print by Hendrick Goltzius visualizes the concept of 'Providentia' (Divine Providence), a theme central to Renaissance Neoplatonism and Stoic-Christian synthesis. It emphasizes the total reliance of the human soul on divine grace for both physical and spiritual nourishment, a recurring motif in the moralizing and philosophical works of the Haarlem Mannerists.