3-035-686 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Allegory of Magnanimity, about 1670. Additional Info: Magnanimity, or greatness of soul, is the moral virtue of bearing adversity with tranquility and equanimity. This female personification wears an imperial crown and a gold brocade cloak lined with royal ermine to indicate the nobility of her disposition. Two flying putti proffer another crown and a sceptre, the symbol of Magnanimity's power to execute her noble thoughts, while the lion at her feet alludes to her fearlessness. At left, a putto prepares to empty a cornucopia (horn of plenty), evoking her generosity and disregard for material rewards and personal advantage.