Rubens, Part Two

Celebrating the Art of Painting

The second part of this documentary deals mainly with Rubens's own oeuvre and the evolution of his style. It is divided into three periods. The first concerns his early work: though still classical, it shows the influence of the Baroque. The paintings are clearly and easily interpreted and make full use of diagonal axes (The Elevation of the Cross, The Descent from the Cross). Later he begins to give his own interpretation to the subjects he portrays. His composition becomes more complex, disturbing, and dynamic (The Mystic Wedding of Saint Catharina, The Virgin Venerated by the Saints). In his third period Rubens breaks all bounds and dispenses with the rules of painting. We see an explosion of style in which composition becomes a whirlpool, the brush strokes swirl and dive, color vibrates in the light (The Ascension of Mary). We also see Rubens at work in the studio among his pupils. How do we recognize the hand of the master? What techniques does he employ? How does he arrive at his lyrical style? Finally, Rubens's Allegory of War is compared with Picasso's Guernica.

© 1998-2008 The Roland Collection & Pira Intl.