Peter Paul Rubens - Daniel in the Lion’s Den [c.1614-16]

Peter Paul Rubens - Daniel in the Lion’s Den [c.1614-16], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

The Old Testament prophet Daniel, as chief counselor to the Persian king Darius, aroused the envy of the other royal ministers. Conspiring against the young Hebrew, they forced the king into condemning Daniel to a den of lions. The following dawn Darius, anxious about his friend, had the stone that sealed the entrance rolled away to discover Daniel had been miraculously saved. Rubens depicted this deliverance when, as the beasts squint and yawn at the morning light streaming into their lair, Daniel gives thanks to his God.

The monumental size of the ten lions and their placement close to the viewer heighten the sense of immediacy. Within the asymmetrical, baroque design, Daniel is the focal point even though his position is off-center. Against the brown tones of animals and rocks, his pale flesh is accented by his red and white robes as well as by the blue sky and green vines overhead.

In 1618, Rubens traded Daniel along with eight other paintings and some cash for a collection of over a hundred ancient Roman busts and statues - the prize material of any art gallery in that era. During the transaction, Rubens described this canvas as: "Daniel among many lions, taken from life. Original, entirely by my hand."

[National Gallery of Art, Washington - Oil on canvas, 268 x 374.7 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - Diana and Calisto [1638-40]

Peter Paul Rubens - Diana and Calisto [1638-40], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

Calisto, one of the nymphs that accompany Diana the huntress, was seduced by Jupiter, thus breaking her vow of chastity. Rubens depicts the moment when the nymph, on the right, refuses to undress for her bath. Afraid the others will discover her pregnancy, she tries to keep the other nymphs from removing her clothing. On the left, attended by a slave, Diana reaches out to her in a gesture of affection and protection. The scene takes place at the edge of a forest, following a hunt whose trophies and weapons are still visible.

Rubens based this work on Ovid's Metamorphosis, giving the history a strong sensual and poetic content, especially in his treatment of the evening light. Those are characteristics of his final period, when his compositions were quite still, abandoning the strong diagonals and disequilibria of his earlier works. The landscape appears to have been painted by Lucas van Uden, who occasionally collaborated with Rubens.

The influence of Titian's mythological paintings is clear in this work, but Rubens is much more understanding and indulgent in his depiction of the nymph's error. This work was at Madrid's Alcázar Palace in 1666.

[Museo Nacional del Prado - Oil on canvas, 202.6 x 325.5 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - The Judgement of Paris [1638-39]

Peter Paul Rubens - The Judgement of Paris [1638-39], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

The shepherd, Paris, was called on to resolve Minerva, Venus and Juno's argument as to which of them was the most beautiful goddess of all. Paris, son of Priam, was to give a golden apple with the inscription “to the most beautiful” to the one he considered most deserving. The shepherd sits under a tree, thinking, while the Gods' messenger, Mercury, brings the golden fruit of discord. The goddesses attempt to sway his judgment with their offerings: Minerva, with armour and an owl, announces his success at war; Venus, accompanied by Cupid, offers him the most beautiful woman; and Juno, identified by her peacock, promises him grandeur. He finally chooses Venus, with whose help he kidnaps Helen, provoking the Trojan War and the wrath of the other goddesses, as is told in Homer's Iliad.

Rubens painted this work at the end of his life, modeling Venus after his second wife, Hélène Fourment. It is thought that the landscape was painted by Lucas van Uden. The Cardinal Infante commissioned this work for Felipe IV and by 1653 it was hanging in the Buen Retiro Palace.

[Museo Nacional del Prado - Oil on canvas, 199 x 381 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - Lamentation over the Dead Christ [1614]

Peter Paul Rubens - Lamentation over the Dead Christ [1614], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

[Liechtenstein Museum, Vienna - Oil on canvas, 150 x 204 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - Finding Baby Eriktoniya [1616]

Peter Paul Rubens - Finding Baby Eriktoniya [1616], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

[Liechtenstein Museum, Vienna - Oil on canvas, 218 x 317 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - The Three Graces [c.1636-38]

Peter Paul Rubens - The Three Graces [c.1636-38], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

In Greek mythology, a Charis is one of several Charites, goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity and fertility. They ordinarily numbered three, from youngest to oldest: Aglaea (Splendour), Euphrosyne (Mirth), and Thalia (Good Cheer). In Roman mythology they were known as the Gratiae, the Graces. In some cases Charis was one of the Graces and was not the plural form of their name. Homer wrote that they were part of the retinue of Aphrodite. The Charites were also associated with the Greek underworl and the Eleusinian Mysteries. The river Cephissus near Delphi was sacred to them.

[National Gallery, London - Oil on canvas, 221 x 181 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - Head of Medusa [c.1617]

Peter Paul Rubens - Head of Medusa [c.1617], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

[Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna - Oil on canvas, 69 x 118 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - Portrait of Susanna Lunden (Le Chapeau de Paille) [c.1622-26]

Peter Paul Rubens - Portrait of Susanna Lunden (Le Chapeau de Paille) [c.1622-26], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

The title Le Chapeau de Paille (The Straw Hat) was first used in the 18th century. In fact the hat is not straw; paille may be an error for poil, which is the French word for felt. The hat, which shades the face of the sitter, is the most prominent feature of the painting. The portrait is probably of Susanna Lunden, born Susanna Fourment, third daughter of Daniel Fourment, an Antwerp tapestry and silk merchant. Her younger sister Helena became Rubens's second wife in 1630. Susanna Fourment married her second husband Arnold Lunden in 1622. The portrait probably dates from about that time. The direct glance of the sitter from under the shadow of the hat, together with the ring on her finger, suggests that the painting is a marriage portrait. 

Rubens enlarged the painting as the work proceeded, adding a third strip of wood on the right and then enlarging the picture at the base. The additions created a greater expanse of sky, and Rubens added clouds to the right that contrast with the clearer sky to the left, from which the light falls across the body and hands.

[Oil on oak, 79 x 54.6 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - Samson and Delilah [c.1609-10]

Peter Paul Rubens - Samson and Delilah [c.1609-10], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

Samson, the Jewish hero, fell in love with Delilah. She was bribed by the Philistines, and discovered that his strength came from his hair which had never been cut. While he was asleep it was cut, Samson was drained of his strength and the Philistines were able to capture him. Rubens depicts a candlelit interior; the Philistines wait at the door, one of their number cuts Samson's hair, while an elderly woman provides extra light. In a niche behind is a statue of the goddess of love, Venus, with Cupid - a reference to the cause of Samson's fate.

This painting was commissioned by Nicolaas Rockox, alderman of Antwerp, for his town house in 1609-10. It shows the influence of the antique, as well as Michelangelo and Caravaggio. There is a preparatory drawing (private collection, Amsterdam) and a modello (Cincinnati Museum of Art).

[Oil on wood, 185 x 205 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - Venus and Cupid [c.1606-11]

Peter Paul Rubens - Venus and Cupid [c.1606-11], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

Rubens was the most outstanding of all Flemish painters, and a leading exponent of Baroque art. The Toilet of Venus is one of his copies of an original by Titian, now lost, which belonged to the Spanish royal collections. This provenance is supported by two significant details: the pearl bracelet and the ring on Venus' left little finger, both of which appeared in Titian's painting. An original version close to the one by Titian is now at the National Gallery of Washington, and there is another canvas by Rubens in the Liechtenstein Collection in Vaduz. The Flemish painter's subtlety of execution and superb mastery of colour are the most distinctive features of his style.

[Oil on canvas, 137 x 111 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - The Miraculous Draught of Fishes [1618-19]

Peter Paul Rubens - The Miraculous Draught of Fishes [1618-19], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

Jesus used Simon Peter's boat to preach from, and then led the fishermen to a miraculous catch of fish. After this he called for them to be fishers of men. The central part of the design derives from the central panel of a tritych in Notre Dame au delà de la Dyle, Malines, painted by Rubens in 1617-19.

Rubens's major business was altarpieces, particularly suitable for an artist who enjoyed working on a grand scale. A diligent and disciplined man, he rose at 4 am each day and worked until 5 pm in the evening before going out riding to keep himself physically fit. While painting, he would have someone read to him from a work of classical literature. An enthusiastic collector of gems, ancient sculpture and coins, and other curiosities (including an Egyptian mummy), Rubens's collection became a well-known attraction for visiting dignitaries.

[Black chalk, pen and oil on paper, stuck on canvas, 55 x 85 cm]

Jan Brueghel & Peter Paul Rubens - The Garden of Eden [c.1615]

Jan Brueghel & Peter Paul Rubens - The Garden of Eden [c.1615], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

Research has shown that it was Breughel who began sketching the outlines of the composition on the panel, but that it was Rubens who put the first scenes into paint: Adam and Eve, but also a part of the tree and the horse beside them. When this was done, Brueghel added the sky, the landscape and filled the rest of the painting with animals and plants. The painting captures the moment right before Adam eats from the fatal apple that Eve is handing him, which would result in their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Rubens and Breughel show us an ideal world where everything is in perfect harmony. Nothing in this peaceful setting seems to indicate the approaching doom.

[Oil on panel, 74.3 x 114.7 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens & Jan Breughel the Elder - The Feast of Acheloüs [c.1615]

Peter Paul Rubens & Jan Breughel the Elder - The Feast of Acheloüs [c.1615], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

This large panel of about 1615 is one of the most impressive known collaborations between Rubens and his older colleague, Jan Brueghel. Rubens conceived and painted the figure group; throughout the rest of the picture Brueghel was in his two elements of landscape and still life painting. A "cabinet picture" like this one would have been made for a collector who could appreciate clever invention, fine execution, the quotations of classical sculpture in the nearest figures at the table, and Rubens's retelling of the tale found in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Theseus (in red) and his companions were returning from Crete to Athens when they encountered the River Achelous. The river-god himself sets a banquet before them and explains that a distant island is his lost lover Perimele, held forever in his embrace. Except for young and "reckless" Pirithous, the story of the miracle "moved the hearts of all."

[Oil on wood, 108 x 163.8 cm]

Rubens - Cimon and Pero

Rubens - Cimon and Pero, a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

At first this seems a strange subject for a painting: a young woman giving her breast to an old man tied up in chains in a bare prison cell. In fact it is a story from Roman History. 

Cimon is Pero's father. He is in prison awaiting execution and has been given nothing to eat. Pero has recently had a child and saves her father from starvation by secretly giving him her breast. This relatively large picture was painted by the famous Antwerp artist, Peter Paul Rubens. To enliven the scene, Rubens has added two prying prison guards on the right.

Pero is portrayed as a voluptuous young woman. Strong, fleshy women like Pero became Rubens's trademark. Today they are often called 'Rubens women'. Even the starving Cimon is portrayed with a strong body and substantial amount of fat. Rubens was skilled at painting the human body: here he has rendered the old man in a highly convincing way, using rough brush marks of beige-yellow, pink and blue. He has also used rapid strokes of the brush and lively colours for the woman's blond hair and red dress. This style is characteristic of Rubens's later work. The raw, grey prison walls in the background provide a wonderful contrast.

[Oil on canvas, 155 x 190 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - Venus at a Mirror [1615]

Peter Paul Rubens - Venus at a Mirror [1615], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

This painting shows the Roman goddess Venus with her traditionally blonde hair, but in the usual style of Rubens’ paintings showing her as a fat, rounded, but ideal figure. She is sitting with her back facing the viewer and her face only partially visible, but her face in all its glory can be viewed on the mirror held for her by her son, Cupid. The other notable human figure in the picture is that of a black servant or maid, painted in a style reminiscent of African black women slaves usually shown in harems by artists of Orientalism.

The mirror in this painting plays the role of a central character. There are many paintings that depict the subjects looking at mirrors and appreciating their beauty, as can be seen in other paintings of even Venus. While, the purpose of the mirror is to look at her own face, in this painting, the mirror is used to reflect the facial image of Venus to the viewer. As you can see, she is looking straight at you, and not at herself. Also, it is rather impossible for Cupid to hold the mirror for Venus at the angle and elevation so as to make such view possible. Logically, it is ridiculous, but very common in art, photography, and even in movies and we have become ‘psychologically’ used to it.

[Oil on canvas, 98 x 124 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - The Judgement of Paris [c.1632-35]

Peter Paul Rubens - The Judgement of Paris [c.1632-35], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

Alterations to this work show that Rubens first painted an earlier moment in the story when Mercury ordered the goddesses to undress; the final stage shows Paris awarding the golden apple to Venus, who stands between Minerva and Juno; Mercury stands behind Paris; above is the Fury, Alecto.

Peter Paul Rubens was born in Siegen in Germany, but from the age of 10 he lived and went to school in Antwerp. His first job, at the age of 13, was as court page to a countess. It was a prestigious position for a young man, but Rubens found it stifling and began training as an artist. As soon as he had completed his training, he set out for Italy in order to see for himself the great Renaissance and classical works that he knew from copies. For eight years, he travelled and worked in Spain, copying and incorporating the techniques of Renaissance and classical art.

[Oil on oak, 144.8 x 193.7 cm]

Peter Paul Rubens - The Judgement of Paris [c.1597-99]

Peter Paul Rubens - The Judgement of Paris [c.1597-99], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

Paris, seated with his back to the viewer, gives the prize of a golden apple to Venus, the central standing goddess, whom he judged to be the most beautiful of the three. To the left stands Juno who is angered by the choice, and to the right, turned away, Minerva, identifiable by the armour at her feet. Venus is accompanied by Cupid and crowned by a putto; another putto holds two doves. Paris is accompanied by Mercury at the left, and in the background two satyrs watch the contest. At the right a water god and a nymph recline on the ground. This work was probably painted shortly before Rubens's departure for Italy in 1600.

[Oil on oak, 133.9 x 174.5 cm]