Where was Rubens' mysterious "Lady in Black" for 140 years, and why they wanted to find her so much

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The forgotten portrait of Rubens, which had been gathering dust in the collection of the London family for 140 years, was found and put up for auction in London. £ 3.5 million at auction in London this month. Who is this woman and where did the painting disappear all this time?

Biography

Paul Rubens is a prominent representative of the Renaissance with his inherent desire to exalt ancient images, while creating real masterpieces of painting. In the Middle Ages, depicting naked female bodies was a forbidden fruit. But the Renaissance made it possible to look at this topic from a completely different point of view. In ancient culture, a woman is a part of nature, and nature at that time was perceived as the embodiment of divine thought. Thus, for the ancient era, there was nothing more divine than the beauty of the female body.

The beauty of Ruben's women was far from the generally accepted ideas of both the era of Rubens himself and the present. The artist depicts curvy women. It is noticeable that he has special love and reverence for them. It should be noted that women with such a figure attracted the artist not only in work, but also in his personal life. The female type of Rubens' beauty appeared after meeting his wife, Elena Furmen. The artist was so in love with his muse that all the female portraits were very similar to Furman.

The forgotten portrait with a stranger dates back to around 1620. Rubens's career during this period was at its peak - he received commissions from large European courts and other patrons, and from 1623 he was engaged in diplomacy (surprisingly, the first persons of the city consulted a person with artistic talent). His ambition and creativity prompted a preference for great historical and mythological scenes. And with all this, Sir Peter Paul Rubens managed to create a completely new style of portrait painting, free from formalities and emphasizing the psychological character of the hero. The artist pays special attention to painting female portraits.

The history of the canvas: from obscurity to a masterpiece

The painting "Portrait of a Lady" depicts a young woman in a black dress and cloak. The painting was cataloged at the time of its first sale as belonging to Rubens' workshop. This meant that it was painted by one of his assistants, possibly under the supervision of Rubens himself. From 1797 to 1864, Hugh Andrew Johnston Munroe of Novara, an estate in Scotland, owned a painting by Rubens. After his death, the work was sold at Christie's in London in June 1878 for 1,120 guineas to Charles Butler.

The 17th century masterpiece was exhibited at the Royal Academy in London in 1902 as a work by Rubens. Remaining in the collection of a London family for 139 years, it was eventually sold for £ 78,000 in 2017. The anonymous buyer who now owns the piece hoped it was indeed Rubens' work, so he took it to Sotheby's himself. for experts to conduct research.

The true origins of Portrait of a Lady were revealed when the layers of dirt and varnish were removed and detailed analysis was carried out. The portrait, which has been gathering dust in the family collection for nearly 140 years, could have earned £ 3.5 million at auction if the public knew it was Rubens' brush. Now the truth has triumphed.

Beautiful heroine

Who is this stranger? The inscription on the back of the picture tells us Virgo Brabantina (Virgin of Brabant). Brabant is a historic region in the Netherlands. The Duchy of Brabant included the territory of the three provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp. Thus, the heroine is of Flemish origin and this is the only thing we know about her personality. She is gorgeous in every way! This is clearly a wealthy woman belonging to the privileged circles of society. She has a majestic pose, her hands are folded in the aristocratic gesture, beloved by Rubens. Snow-white skin, golden curls, a half smile, a chic outfit - all this corresponds to the type of female beauty created by Rubens.

On the hands of the model, you can dwell in more detail: the brushes in the portrait are painted very softly, the delicate skin of the heroine is emphasized (untouched by hard physical labor). Snow-white, well-groomed and thin fingers emphasize the status of a woman. The heroine's outfit is luxurious: dark satin, a majestic gown, white lace, a beautiful neckline that creates a delicate composition with the heroine's necklace.

Almond-shaped pearls majestically flaunt on the ears, the brilliance of which can be compared with sparkling eyes. As a set, the heroine put on a charming pearl necklace, which emphasizes the snow-white skin of a woman. Hair is folded into a trendy bun with amber curls cascading over the temples. In the background, we see a red curtain that emphasizes the heroine's scarlet lips and her ruddy cheeks. On the left we see a barely noticeable mountain landscape and a blue cloudy sky.

Rubens' portraits of women are majestic and at the same time simple and laconic. They prove the highest skill of Rubens in the portrait genre, the transfer of the psychological tonality of the characters and the depiction of materials and textures.