Wealthy children, poor parents? Lessons learned from two Renaissance stained glass windows

The image below shows a rather unhappy domestic scene. On the left a man and a woman are seated at a table, enjoying a meal. A child is facing to the right, where a man is depicted eating alone at a smaller table. The image alludes to intergenerational conflict: the man eating alone represents the (widowed) father, the man and women either his married son or daughter, and the boy in the middle his grandson.

Source: Collection Lakenhal, Leiden

The image warns parents against donations inter vivos: he who gives his riches to his children should be aware he also surrenders his independence. This is what had happened to the parent in the image: he had handed over his riches to the younger generation, expecting in return to be respected and taken care of in his final years. But he received the proverbial cold shoulder instead, having to yield his place at the head of the table, and ending up eating alone – to the amazement of his grandson.

The carton dates from c. 1520-1530, and was probably used in the production of a stained-glass window. The theme displayed – ‘wealthy children, poor parents’ – was quite popular during the Renaissance. For instance, an engraving from the seventeenth century shows an elderly couple pleading ‘oh my sweet children, give us something in return for the marriage portions we granted you’. The children’s rather cold reply was ‘dear parents we cannot do this because of the expenses of life, clothing, and because our own children are so expensive…’.

How things ideally should go is shown on yet another carton dating from c. 1520-1530. Here the elderly parent is shown sitting at the head of the table, as a true pater familias. He is handing out food to the younger generation that is sitting at the same table. In the left of the image the parent and son (or son in law) are shown engaged in a transaction – the parent is shown holding what might be a money bag. Although we can only guess what message the artist wanted to communicate, it does not seem unreasonable to read into this image something along the lines of: a care-free old age is dependent on strategically transferring property to the younger generation. We know this could be done in a number of ways, such as limiting inter vivos donations, and using the inheritance to maintain the upper hand. Or by recording in a contract the care the younger generation should provide to the elderly parent.

Collection Fondation Custodia Collection Frits Lugt, Paris

The two cartons underline the universal problem of transfer of riches from one generation to another. A smooth transition that allowed the younger generation to prosper, and the older generation to enjoy a dignified old age, required thorough preparations – something that was as much true for the sixteenth century as it is today.