The Clubfoot facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Clubfoot
Artist	Jusepe de Ribera
Year	1642
Medium	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	164 cm × 92 cm (65 in × 36 in)
Location	Louvre, Paris

The Clubfoot (also called The Club-Footed Boy) is a famous painting from 1642. It was created by the Spanish artist Jusepe de Ribera. You can see this painting today at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France. Ribera painted it in Naples, Italy.

The painting shows a young boy from Naples who has a deformed foot. He is a beggar. The boy stands in front of a bright, open landscape. He has a big, gap-toothed smile. He wears simple, earthy clothes. He holds his crutch over his left shoulder. In his hand, he holds a piece of paper with Latin words. These words say: "DA MIHI ELEMOSINAM PROPTER AMOREM DEI." This means "Give me alms, for the love of God."

Painting History

This painting is one of the last works by Jusepe de Ribera. It was painted when he was near the end of his life. Ribera loved to use strong contrasts of light and shadow in his art. He learned from the great Renaissance painters in Italy. He also studied the work of Flemish artists. Even though he lived most of his life in Italy, Ribera always kept a strong realism style. This style was very common in Spain.

Why Spanish Artists Painted the Poor

Many Spanish artists were very religious. They felt a deep care for people who were weak or suffering. Because of this, they often painted pictures of poor people and those with disabilities. In The Clubfoot, the young boy seems to be making fun of his own disability. He also wants people to know he cannot speak. He holds the card written in Latin to ask for help from people passing by.

Caravaggio's Influence

The idea of painting everyday life and ordinary people was very popular at the time. This style was started by an artist named Caravaggio. Ribera was a big fan of Caravaggio's realistic style. He followed this trend in his own paintings, especially while he was in Naples.

See also

In Spanish: El pie varo para niños