Flemish artist and diplomat
Peter Paul Rubens
was born,
28 June, 1577
in the city of Siegen, Germany.
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He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens’s highly charged compositions reference erudite aspects of classical and Christian history. His unique and immensely popular Baroque style emphasized movement, colour, and sensuality, which followed the immediate, dramatic artistic style promoted in the Counter-Reformation. Rubens was a painter producing altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and allegorical subjects. He was also a prolific designer of cartoons for the Flemish tapestry workshops and of frontispieces for the publishers in Antwerp.
In addition to running a large workshop in Antwerp that produced paintings popular with nobility and art collectors throughout Europe, Rubens was a classically educated humanist scholar and diplomat who was knighted by both Philip IV of Spain and Charles I of England. Rubens was a prolific artist.
The catalogue of his works by Michael Jaffé lists 1,403 pieces, excluding numerous copies made in his workshop.
(From Wikipedia)
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So here’s a glimpse of his work & words
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“I’m just a simple man standing alone with my old brushes, asking God for inspiration.”
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“Every child has the spirit of creation. The rubbish of life often exterminates the spirit through plague and a soul’s own wretchedness.”
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“White is poison to a picture: use it only in highlights.”
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“Painting a young maiden is similar to cavorting with great abandon. It is the finest refreshment.”
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“I paint a woman’s big rounded buttocks so that I want to reach out and stroke the dimpled flesh.”
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“My passion comes from the heavens, not from earthly musings.”
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“My talent is such that no undertaking, however vast in size… has ever surpassed my courage.”
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“I can tell you truly, without exaggeration, that I have had to refuse over one hundred [assistants], even some of my own relatives or my wife’s, and not without causing displeasure among many of my best friends”
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“At present, I have in the house the flower of my stock, particularly some pictures which I have kept for my own enjoyment; some I have even repurchased for more than I had sold them to others”
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“The English are increasing their insolence and barbarity. They cut to pieces the captain of a ship coming from Spain and threw all the crew into the sea for having defended themselves valiantly”
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“The offers are very generous but I have little desire to become a courtier again”
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“Nearby.. ..are monsters personifying Pestilence and Famine, those inseparable partners of War”
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“For the future I believe there will not fail to be difficulties over the subjects of the other gallery, which ought to be easy and free from scruples”
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“This war seems without purpose.. strange that Spain, which provides so little for the needs of this country .. has an abundance of means to wage an offensive war elsewhere”
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“I am by nature and inclination a peaceful man, the sworn enemy to disputes, lawsuits and quarrels both public and private”
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Drawings
Tapestries
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The music I’ve chosen is from a composer of the late Renaissance, chief representative of the mature polyphonic style of the Franco-Flemish school and One of the most significant composers of all times [not just renaissance]!
As Rubens, enjoyed so much painting the human body [female especially] I chose this song… for a translation of this song, check the video [still laughing! ;-)]
Orlande de Lassus [1532 – 1594]
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Matona, mia cara
S: Sara Botkin, Melissa Raymond, Cynthia Shaw
A: Grace Check, Ariane Reinhart
T: Thom Baker, Marcos Vigil
B: Steve Friedman, Gregg Lauterbach, Mark Sullivan
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For more information on Rubens:
https://www.peterpaulrubens.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Paul_Rubens
https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/rijksstudio/artists/peter-paul-rubens
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/peter-paul-rubens
https://www.flemishmasters.com/en/flemish-masters/rubens
https://www.wikiart.org/en/peter-paul-rubens
Marina Kanavaki 
Those ruff collars are a HOOT!!!!!
This music is gorgeous!
🦉😶🌫️ xo🦉😶🌫️ xo🦉😶🌫️ xo🦉😶🌫️ xo🦉😶🌫️ xo🦉😶🌫️ xo
(😶🌫️closest thing to a ruff collar)
I know right?!!!! How could they wear them?!!!
Ruff sounds right!!! 😉
Mouah 😘🤗😘🤗😘🤗😘🤗😘🤗😘🤗😘🤗😘🤗
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
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He was obviously immensely talented, but I can’t say that his work appeals to me. (Pure gut reaction . . . )
Immensely talented indeed! I know what you mean… especially when it comes to various female nudes! But I totally admire his talent.
The nudes were a bit much (or a lot much).
Yep! 😉
Excellent tribute and his birthday corresponds with my daughters today… 🙂 Love the Old woman with boy and Candle and the silver silk gown on the Portrait of Marchesa Brigida Spinola-Doria. Very hard I would imagine to create that shine ..
A very versatile artist..
Many thanks for sharing.. I enjoyed browsing through them all.. ❤
Oh, Happy Birthday to your daughter, Sue!!!!
That painting with the candlelight is amazing. Also one of my favorites of his! His fabrics and details are incredible!
Thank you for taking the journey with me, my dear friend.
Sending hugs and wishes for a beautiful birthday! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Thank YOU…. I am often in awe at the detail certain artists present… fabric is something that fascinates me, as is the light from the candle .. It holds a luminous quality… Again thank you for sharing.. And yes we had a lovely visit with our daughter today… 🙂 ❤ Hard to think it was forty five years since her birth and even harder in two weeks when its my Son’s who is two years older.. LOL… Where oh where has time gone!…. 😀 and where is it going? 🙂
Many thanks for those hugs and well wishes Marina… Love right back dear friend ❤
Years go by so fast!!!!
An early happy birthday to your son too (wow!)
Many more hugs and love!
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Many Thanks Marina… 👍 😊 💕💖💕
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I keep leaving comments on Oannes posts now and again.. Yet they vanish, they used to appear even if they were in need of moderation.. Wonder if they are in the spam box… I am having a few okay comments directed into my WP spam…. Just thought I would let you know Marina. ❤
Oh, thank you for letting me know. I’ll tell him!
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xoxoxoxoxo
You probably know that mirrors were a big deal back then… a sign of technological and social status. People of means had specialists make them in foreign lands, so I remember… Now, the Romans, Greeks and Biblical characters whom the neoclassicists painted, didn’t have proper mirrors! Can you imagine going through life and only seeing yourself through polished silver (or whatever they used in the ancient world). Things we take for granted today were huge luxuries back then… I’m not sure when ice cream hit the scene. But I’m sure Caesar would have loved it! 😇
Come to think of it, maybe we’d be better off without mirrors. All they do is feed our vanity. 😉🤣
ha ha… you got a point there! ☺️🙂
🤣🤣🤣🤣😉😉😉😉😉😉😉
I was here.
Happy to be here, again!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoooxoxoxoxoxo
Happy to see you here again!!!!
So is Rubens!!!! 😉
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This is such a gorgeous narrative and display of Ruben’s stunning art , the music you’ve chosen is breathtaking!
Oh, I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Holly. I’ve got Chagall for tomorrow [his birthday], …I hope I make it! Taking so much time to do these! 😉
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Very intense!!! I’ve always liked his art, that I know about. My fave here, “The Three Graces”.
He produced so much art, he must have painted in his sleep!
FAB post, Marina! (WP is still working on my problem!)
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“painted in his sleep”!!!!!! I think so too!!!!!!!
A great great master painter…. they don’t make’em like this anymore! 😉
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Agree! Now we take pictures. That option did not exist in his day. It seems he painted faster than we can click the shutter!
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Brilliantly said!!!!! “…faster than we can click the shutter!” xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
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The guy could paint! And many other things. Interesting contrast between the staid, laced up Xian women and the wild and free pagan beauties! 😊
A ha ha… yes, he could! He’s not considered a master with no reason! 😉 Eventhough his nudes are exquisitely done (dimples et all!), I admire even more the intricately dressed figures! 😉
I see what you say from an art perspective. From a socio-historical one, I wonder how many repressions or perhaps hidden and deflected lusts were buried underneath all that finery! 😊🙄😁
If you think about it our skin is just another kind of ‘clothing’, and if you go further in there are layers and layers of thoughts / beliefs to hide or repress whatever …lurks deeper whithin! 😉 So I can only see it from an art perspective and I’m certain I’m not at all objective (I’ve got my own layers of seeing!)… go figure! 🥴😄😉
Oh, you’re always right! 😄😄 But seriously, I understand what you are saying. It’s like there is a kaleidoscope of characteristics… you got blue green red I got orange yellow pink. (arbitrarily chosen!). Bowie once said he couldn’t be ‘political’ because he saw so many sides to everything and exclaimed that it was “hell!” Sometimes I feel that way but other times I just go with whatever is influencing me at that moment. Could be ancestral, could be angelic. I really do not know! Could be nuts too! But doing something keeps me from being a Hamlet. 😏😇 https://youtu.be/C1LUrYSZ47k
A ha ha that video!!!!!
…and yes, indeed! Better than becoming a Hamlet! 😉
yeaaaa
🙂
Wow, how wonderful, Marina, and such amazing talent! Thank you for all the time that goes into compiling these beautiful and educational posts. You are amazing! Sending hugs, my friend! 💗💗💗
Oh, thank YOU, Lauren, for your kind words! It’s a pleasure doing those posts… such talents are reminders of what art truly is!
Much love to you and hugs!
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So true, Marina! 🥰🤗😘❤️💕
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So many places to click on your new page/site. This one on Rubens is just beautiful. We will always treasure the masters.
Oh, yes we will!!!! Art hasn’t gotten much better since then… 😉 Thank you, my friend!! 😊🙂
Those paintings in Lasgaux caverns aren’t bad either.
“not bad”… yep! 😉
A lot of talent with this guy!
Art
Oh, indeed!!!! 🙂
Really great artists!
What they made with the tools they had in that time, it’s amazing!
Beautiful paintings!
Have a great week! 🙂
Isn’t it? Sometimes I really wonder whether art has evolved… I mean substantially.
Thank you, my friend. You too have a great week ahead.
Indeed, Marina!
Thank you! 🙂
🙏🙂
Wowow! Another extremely.prolific artist.
Thank your for all the hard work you put I to these!
Oh, yes, he was indeed! So glad you’re enjoying these. They may be hard work but I get so much pleasure out of rediscovering those artists!
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Such a generous person you are. 💞💖
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…look who’s talking! 😘
Hah! Sweet of you!
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What a wonderful post. Greatly familiar with his paintings, but not so much his drawings and tapestries. The drawings, especially, are a real treat
Thank you, my friend. I think so too… (about his drawings) So happy you enjoyed it. 🙂
Another labor of love, your compilation of Rubens’ paintings and words. His pacifism and passion are remarkable. The term Rubenesque really comes to life, one which takes on more meaning for a woman as she ages 😉 One thing that stands out is his limited use of white (as he explains), silver and turquoise in some portraits…simply stunning. Another is his use of candlelight (Old Woman and Boy with Candles) which is strongly similar to his French Baroque contemporary, Georges de La Tour. Thank you again! xoxoxo
Oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed this! It was from him I first heard about white being a killer and its stayed with me. It’s one of those things you get taught as a child and you follow uninquisitively! 😉 Also that painting of the candle lit faces is another huge lesson! Many hugs and xoxoxo
I love Ruben’s paintings. Great post, Marina.
Thank you, my friend! 🙏🙂
A beautiful post I really enjoyed it 💜
So happy to hear that, my friend! Happy Sunday!!!! xoxoxoxo
Happy Sunday to you too 💜
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