I'm leaving, but where to?
Allegory of Virtues on St. Paul
Münster
around 1730/40
Oil/canvas
Domschatz Münster, Inv.-Nr. O.Vr.3
In the center of the painting, Paul is depicted. In the background, the then southern side of St. Paul's Cathedral can be discovered. Paul is surrounded by women who personify virtues.
The dedicatory inscription resolves the composition: the virtues depicted are attributed to the cathedral chapter – represented by the cathedral and Paul.
The three virtues in the upper section of the image are known from a Pauline epistle: "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Faith (*simpliciter* / simply) is enthroned above Paul, while Love (*ardenter* / passionately) and Hope (*firmiter* / steadfastly) sit at his side.
The three virtues below represent Justice (*sine respectu* / without partiality), Temperance (*cum foenore reddo* / I repay with interest), and Fortitude (*pro Deo & Ecclesia* / for God & Church).
These constitute three of the four cardinal virtues. The fourth cardinal virtue, Prudence, was omitted for reasons of symmetry.
