"roman Charity" XVIII Century, Oil On Canvas, Pero Secretly Breastfeeding Her Father Cimone

Roman Charity XVIII century. Oil on canvas 134×98 cm. (Accidents, restorations and repaintings) A theme much frequented by artists of the time, here it is summarized by staging only the two main protagonists who are created with great skill, note the beauty of Pero's face, which with its gaze turned towards external denotes the trepidation of the moment while remaining sweet and the naturalness of the hands, a sign of great technical expertise in the anatomy, and finally the soft warm colors that softly harmonize the whole scene. The story deals with the actions of an exemplary woman, Pero, who secretly breastfeeds her father, Cimone, after he has been imprisoned and sentenced to death by starvation. She is discovered by a warder, but her act of generosity impresses the responsible officials who grant her father's release, and is represented as a great act of pietas (filial generosity) and Roman honor. One source for the tale may be the Etruscan myth of Uni nursing the adult Hercle. Cimon's story is also preceded by another almost identical one told by Pliny the Elder, of a plebeian woman who is imprisoned and breast-fed by her daughter.