Rubens and his Wife Rubens and his Wife (Isabella Brant) in the (Isabella Brant) in the

Honeysuckle Bower (1609)Honeysuckle Bower (1609)

PETER PAUL RUBENSPETER PAUL RUBENS

--Born 1577 in Seigen, Germany;--Born 1577 in Seigen, Germany; his father, Jan, was a Calvinist his father, Jan, was a Calvinist and fled his native Antwerp to and fled his native Antwerp to escape religious persecution.escape religious persecution.--Jan Rubens, an attorney, had --Jan Rubens, an attorney, had originally fled to Cologne; afteroriginally fled to Cologne; after an affair with a princess to an affair with a princess to whom he served as secretary whom he served as secretary he was imprisoned and nearly he was imprisoned and nearly executed. He was released and executed. He was released and allowed to settle in Seigen.allowed to settle in Seigen.--Jan Rubens died in 1587, --Jan Rubens died in 1587, leaving his wife Maria to raise leaving his wife Maria to raise Peter Paul and his 13-year-old Peter Paul and his 13-year-old brother Philip.brother Philip.--Maria Rubens returned with --Maria Rubens returned with her sons to Antwerp.her sons to Antwerp.

RUBENS: ITALY—The Duke of MantuaRUBENS: ITALY—The Duke of Mantua

--In Venice meets Vincenzo I, --In Venice meets Vincenzo I, Duke of Mantua, who was a Duke of Mantua, who was a great patron of the arts, and is great patron of the arts, and is offered a job as one of his offered a job as one of his painters.painters.--His tasks consisted mostly of --His tasks consisted mostly of copying famous works of artcopying famous works of art and painting original portraits and painting original portraits of beautiful women for the of beautiful women for the Duke’s “Gallery of Beauties.”Duke’s “Gallery of Beauties.”--The job also gave him access --The job also gave him access to important people and art to important people and art collections (including the collections (including the Duke’s own) and the Duke’s own) and the opportunity to travel around opportunity to travel around Italy.Italy.

Self Portrait with a CircleSelf Portrait with a Circleof Friends from Mantuaof Friends from Mantua

(early 1600s)(early 1600s)

RUBENS: ITALY—Copies of Roman and Italian masters RUBENS: ITALY—Copies of Roman and Italian masters

Drawing after the central group of Drawing after the central group of Leonardo’s Battle of AnghiariLeonardo’s Battle of Anghiari

RUBENS: ITALY—PortraitsRUBENS: ITALY—Portraits

Marchesa BrigadaMarchesa BrigadaSpinola Doria (c.1606)Spinola Doria (c.1606)

RUBENS: ANTWERPRUBENS: ANTWERP

Rubens and his Wife Rubens and his Wife (Isabella Brant) in the (Isabella Brant) in the Honeysuckle Bower (1609)Honeysuckle Bower (1609)

Rubens’s own wedding Rubens’s own wedding portraitportrait

RUBENS: ANTWERP—Religious paintings RUBENS: ANTWERP—Religious paintings

The Elevation of the The Elevation of the Cross (1610-11), anCross (1610-11), analtarpiece for thealtarpiece for theChurch of St. Walburga, Church of St. Walburga, AntwerpAntwerp

Rubens’s first altarpiece Rubens’s first altarpiece in Antwerp in Antwerp

RUBENS: MYTHOLOGICAL AND HISTORY PAINTINGS RUBENS: MYTHOLOGICAL AND HISTORY PAINTINGS

Prometheus BoundPrometheus Bound(1611-12)(1611-12)

RUBENS: HUNTING SCENES RUBENS: HUNTING SCENES

Lion Hunt (c.1620?)Lion Hunt (c.1620?)

RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE --Commissioned in 1621-22 by --Commissioned in 1621-22 by Marie de’Medici to paint a large Marie de’Medici to paint a large cycle of paintings at her new cycle of paintings at her new residence, the Palais de residence, the Palais de Luxembourg, designed in 1620 Luxembourg, designed in 1620 by Solomon de Brosse.by Solomon de Brosse.--Marie was the widow of the --Marie was the widow of the previous king, Henri IV, and the previous king, Henri IV, and the mother of the current king, Louis mother of the current king, Louis XIII. She had also served as XIII. She had also served as regent in Louis’s youth, but wasregent in Louis’s youth, but was generally disliked by the French generally disliked by the French people, even by her son. people, even by her son. --Rubens’s cycle was intended to --Rubens’s cycle was intended to glorify her and present a glorify her and present a positive image of her role in positive image of her role in French politics and society.French politics and society.

Marie de’Medici Marie de’Medici by Rubens (c.1622) by Rubens (c.1622)

MARIE DE’MEDICI MARIE DE’MEDICI

--Born in Florence, Italy, in 1573.--Born in Florence, Italy, in 1573.--Her father was Grand Duke of --Her father was Grand Duke of Tuscany and a member of the Tuscany and a member of the wealthy Medici family; upon wealthy Medici family; upon the death of Henri IV’s first wife,the death of Henri IV’s first wife, her father secured for her the her father secured for her the title of Queen of France by the title of Queen of France by the payment of a huge dowry.payment of a huge dowry.--She married Henri IV by proxy --She married Henri IV by proxy in 1600, but upon her arrival in in 1600, but upon her arrival in France things went poorly—she France things went poorly—she quarreled not just with Henri quarreled not just with Henri but openly and violently with hisbut openly and violently with his mistresses.mistresses.--Bore him a son, Louis XIII.--Bore him a son, Louis XIII.Marie de’Medici Marie de’Medici

by Rubens (c.1622) by Rubens (c.1622)

MARIE DE’MEDICI MARIE DE’MEDICI --Upon Henri’s assassination in --Upon Henri’s assassination in 1610—which she reputedly may1610—which she reputedly may have had a role in—she was have had a role in—she was recognized as the Regent of recognized as the Regent of France, who would rule the France, who would rule the country in the place of Louis XIIIcountry in the place of Louis XIII (then 9-years-old). She placed at(then 9-years-old). She placed at the head of her government her the head of her government her own lover Concini, also an own lover Concini, also an Italian.Italian.--In 1617, Louis attained full --In 1617, Louis attained full powers of king and had Concinipowers of king and had Concini assassinated and Marie assassinated and Marie banished. banished. --In 1621, due to the influence of --In 1621, due to the influence of Cardinal Richelieu, Louis Cardinal Richelieu, Louis allowed her to return to Paris. allowed her to return to Paris.

Marie de’Medici Marie de’Medici by Rubens (c.1622) by Rubens (c.1622)

RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE The commission:The commission:--24 paintings—21 scenes --24 paintings—21 scenes showing events from Marie’s showing events from Marie’s life and portraits of herself and life and portraits of herself and her parents (a second planned her parents (a second planned series, of events from Henri’s series, of events from Henri’s life, was never completed).life, was never completed).--Begun in 1622, completed 1625.--Begun in 1622, completed 1625.--In order to mask the often --In order to mask the often mundane and contentious mundane and contentious reality of Marie’s life, Rubens reality of Marie’s life, Rubens surrounded her with allegorical surrounded her with allegorical figures and used metaphors figures and used metaphors from classical mythology to from classical mythology to create scenes implying triumph create scenes implying triumph and apotheosis, and justified and apotheosis, and justified Marie as a symbol of virtue.Marie as a symbol of virtue.

Marie de’Medici Marie de’Medici by Rubens (c.1622) by Rubens (c.1622)

RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE

Scene 1: The DestinyScene 1: The Destinyof Marie de’Mediciof Marie de’Medici

Zeus and Hera look onZeus and Hera look on from abovefrom above

The Fates spin the The Fates spin the thread of Marie’s thread of Marie’s

destiny destiny The job of the third Fate, The job of the third Fate, Atropos, was to cut the Atropos, was to cut the thread of life, and her usual thread of life, and her usual attribute was scissors. Here attribute was scissors. Here she is without them, she is without them, implying the privileged and implying the privileged and immortal nature of Marieimmortal nature of Marie

RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE

Scene 2: The BirthScene 2: The Birthof Marie de’Mediciof Marie de’Medici

The goddess Juno presents the The goddess Juno presents the infant Marie to an allegorical infant Marie to an allegorical figure of the city of Florencefigure of the city of Florence

RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE

Scene 3: The Education Scene 3: The Education of Marie de’Mediciof Marie de’Medici

Apollo (the Greek patron of the arts) and Apollo (the Greek patron of the arts) and Athena (Goddess of Wisdom) help attend Athena (Goddess of Wisdom) help attend to Marie’s educationto Marie’s education

The Three Graces offerThe Three Graces offerher beautyher beauty

RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE

Scene 6: The Arrival of Scene 6: The Arrival of Marie de’Medici in Marie de’Medici in MarseillesMarseilles

A personification of FranceA personification of France welcomes herwelcomes her

Fame trumpets to alert Fame trumpets to alert France of her arrival France of her arrival

Sea gods, tritons, and Sea gods, tritons, and sirens lead her ship to sirens lead her ship to shore shore

MarieMarie

RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE

Scene 21: The Triumph of TruthScene 21: The Triumph of Truth

An allegorical figure of Truth is An allegorical figure of Truth is unveiled by time, to show that in the unveiled by time, to show that in the end time will reveal that the rupture end time will reveal that the rupture between Marie and Louis was due to between Marie and Louis was due to the falsity and scheming of others the falsity and scheming of others

Marie and Louis in Heaven; he offers Marie and Louis in Heaven; he offers her a laurel crown with two joined her a laurel crown with two joined hands and a heart inside of it hands and a heart inside of it

RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE RUBENS: MEDICI CYCLE

Louis XIIILouis XIII and and MarieMarie de’Medicide’Medici by Rubensby Rubens

1630: Marie plots a coup against Louis and his chief 1630: Marie plots a coup against Louis and his chief minister; she is again exiled, this time permanently.minister; she is again exiled, this time permanently.