M HKA Ensembles

Painting, 55.5 x 86.5 cm.

Collection: Belfius Art Collection.

In the summer of 1639, Philip IV orders four large canvases for the salón nuevo at the Alcázar in Madrid. Among them are two canvases of about 350 by 450 cm, representing the Rape of the Sabine Women and The Reconciliation of the Romans and Sabines. Cardinal Infant Ferdinand, who is staying in Brussels, reports in the autumn of that year to his brother, the king,that the artist works on the paintings con grande animo. However, in around New Year, Rubens suffers severe gout attacks. A crippled hand makes it impossible for him to work. This, however, does not prevent Ferdinand from increasing the pressure on the artist. It is only in May that Rubens has recovered somewhat and continues to work until he dies on the 30th of that month.

The Reconciliation is almost finished, but the Rape is hardly at the stage of underpainting.  After Ferdinand Van Dyck unsuccessfully requests to finish the paintings (he describes the artist as a loco rematado, a raging madman), Gaspar de Crayer is instructed to complete the Rape. Although he was not a friend of Rubens, he is considered capable. The two smaller works are finally completed by Jordaens. The two large canvases will unfortunately not survive the fire of the Alcázar in 1734.

The oil sketches shown here are Rubens' latest designs. According to the Fasti of the poet Ovid, the first Romans had not enough women to allow their society to grow. That is why they organized a feast, to which they invited a neighbouring people, the Sabines. During that feast they abducted the nubile Sabine women, upon which the Sabine men went to war. The women, however, came into action at the time of the attack. They stood between the two armies and begged the men to make peace. And they did. Rubens depicts the two essential episodes in this battle of the sexes, in which rough violence is conquered by love and persuasion.

Text: Nico Van Hout, 2018