Objective:

To identify the devotional evolution of st. Joseph between the 16th and 18th centuries in relation to the expansion of his artistic image in hospitals and healthcare spaces, which even in some cases took his name.

Methods:

A bibliographical review of sources (literature, hagiographies, treatises and secondary sources) and the search for examples of images and dedications linked to the saint in hospitals.

Results:

St. Joseph gradually replaced the traditional patron saints of the sick and dying, and came to be the protagonist of a large number of scenes and images present in hospital chapels and charity houses supported by fraternities and guilds.

Conclusions:

It has been identified a parallel between the development of art and care activities. For instance, specific iconographic types were assigned to care societies, in particular the death of st. Joseph, as an example of serenity for the dying and a charitable model for the caretakers.