Giving drink to the thirsty
Roundel
ca. 1430-1440 (made)
ca. 1430-1440 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
At the centre of the composition stands a richly dressed merchant. He pours drink into the beakers of two beggars on the left, one of whom is a friar. He hands a drinking bowl to two others on the right. At the front a fifth beggar with bandaged legs crawls forward, using two crutches to support him. A small dog is tethered to his waist.
The roundel probably represents the second of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy. These were: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, visiting the prisoner and burying the dead. The Corporal Works of Mercy were depicted frequently in the late Middle Ages as exemplars of Christian behaviour. Images of this type in glass could be displayed in either a church or a guildhall, in a chapel or private hall.
The roundel probably represents the second of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy. These were: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, visiting the prisoner and burying the dead. The Corporal Works of Mercy were depicted frequently in the late Middle Ages as exemplars of Christian behaviour. Images of this type in glass could be displayed in either a church or a guildhall, in a chapel or private hall.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Giving drink to the thirsty (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Stained glass |
| Brief description | Roundel, stained glass, distribution of alms to the poor and lame, England, probably Coventry, ca. 1430-40 |
| Physical description | Roundel, stained glass. Grisaille and yellow stain. Distribution of alms to the poor and lame. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | NB. While the term ‘lame’ has been used in this record, it has since fallen from usage and is now considered offensive. The term is repeated in this record in its original historical context. Probably from Coventry. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | At the centre of the composition stands a richly dressed merchant. He pours drink into the beakers of two beggars on the left, one of whom is a friar. He hands a drinking bowl to two others on the right. At the front a fifth beggar with bandaged legs crawls forward, using two crutches to support him. A small dog is tethered to his waist. The roundel probably represents the second of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy. These were: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, visiting the prisoner and burying the dead. The Corporal Works of Mercy were depicted frequently in the late Middle Ages as exemplars of Christian behaviour. Images of this type in glass could be displayed in either a church or a guildhall, in a chapel or private hall. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.56-1953 |
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| Record created | June 8, 1998 |
| Record URL |
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