A Sermon on Charity (possibly the Conversion of Saint Anthony)


This panel may represent Saint Anthony listening to a reading from the Gospels and distributing his wealth to the poor, or it may be intended as a more general sermon on the virtues of charity. In either case, the theme reflects the concerns of the Biblical Humanists, a reform group that advocated charity as a moral obligation. Their doctrine, that a life lived in conformity with Christianity was more important than participation in Church ritual, could account for the unfinished brick wall dividing the composition in two parts: one showing ritual, the other active intervention in terms of offering charity.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: A Sermon on Charity (possibly the Conversion of Saint Anthony)
  • Artist: Netherlandish (Antwerp Mannerist) Painter (ca. 1520–25)
  • Medium: Oil on wood
  • Dimensions: 33 1/2 x 23 in. (85.1 x 58.4 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1908
  • Object Number: 08.183.2
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.