To Visit the Sick
circa 1640
Step into a bustling 17th-century hospital where charity is in full swing! Cornelis De Wael, a Flemish painter who lived in Genoa, captures a chaotic yet compassionate scene of the 'Visitation of the Sick,' illustrating one of the seven corporal works of mercy. On the right, patients rest in iron beds while visitors offer comfort, while officials at a green-clothed table seem to manage the busy ward. Up on the balcony, a crowd of onlookers observes the scene, creating a lively cross-section of society. Notice the dog resting peacefully amidst the chaos—it’s a vivid snapshot of Baroque life, mixing sacred duty with the messy reality of a crowded ward.
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