Rubens, Portraits of Princes, the compelling event at Paris Musée du Luxembourg

At the Musée du Luxembourg, a very fine exhibition on Peter Paul Rubens awaits us from October 4, 2017 to January 14, 2018. Indeed, he is one of the painters who had the honor of painting kings, queens, princes and princesses from all over Europe. For the first time, 20 princely portraits by Rubens are being brought together in a museum, for a never-before-seen exhibition!

This autumn 2017, the Musée du Luxembourg takes us closer to the princes of 17th-century Europe.

Portraits Princiers, the exhibition on view from October 4, 2017 to January 14, 2018, brings together 65 princely portraits, including 20 by Rubens, who was, perhaps somewhat in spite of himself, an immense court portraitist. An apprentice to Titian and the author of famous portraits of Charles V and Philip II, Rubens quickly became one of the painters of the courts of Europe.

A genealogical tour highlights the greatest families of the 17th century.

Royal portraits face us in beautiful rooms: The Gonzaga family at the head of Mantua, with the cardinal-infant Ferdinand, brother of King Philip IV of Spain, Vincent II de Gonzague, the Habsburg family at the head of Flanders, whose Archduke Albert and Archduchess Isabelle Claire Eugénie he portrayed in flattering paintings, the Spanish court and the court of Paris, with Princes Louis XIII and Elisabeth, immortalized in grand paintings.

A special focus is given to Marie de Medicis, with a room devoted to her. Rubens was able to immortalize Marie de Medicis in a number of lavish commissions, including a monumental ensemble of 20 different allegories, all of which have been returned to their original gallery, to decorate the Palais du Luxembourg designed for Marie de Medicis in Paris.

While painting the portrait of a sovereign was themost prestigious commission a paintercould receive at the time, Pierre Paul Rubens quickly became the Peintre des Rois,prized for his erudition and conversation .

It's truethat he knew perfectly well the prototypes to follow, the codes to respect (degree of idealization of the model's features, symbols of power and importance of costume and decorum), and knew how to dose just the right amount of flamboyance. He also played an important diplomatic role, enjoying an unrivalled social position.

Alongside Portraits by Rubens, 9 portraits of the Rubens studio, 17 portraits of artists contemporary with Rubens, 41 portraits, prints and textiles after Rubens, make for a fine presentation of the courts of Europe!

Practicalinfo:
Rubens, Portraits Princiers au Musée du Luxembourg
From October 4, 2017 to January 14, 2018
Location: Musée du Luxembourg, 19 rue de Vaugirard, 75006 Paris
Opening hours: 10:30am-7pm daily, Friday night until 10pm
Admission: €12, €8.5 concessions, free -16 years old - Book online

Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.

Rubens, Portraits of Princes, a major exhibition at the Musée du Luxembourg

Calendar

_