- The first book (and exhibition) ever to present a focused study on
Rubens' depictions of women. The exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery
will run from October 2023 to January 2024 - This will challenge the
popular assumption that Rubens only painted one type of woman. Instead
it will show the varied and essential role that women played in the
artist's life and work - A chance for readers to get to know the real
man behind some of his most famous works - we meet not only Rubens the
artist, but Rubens the father, husband, lover, diplomat, friend -
Includes the latest scholarly developments in subjects such as the
identities of Rubens' sitters, 17th century artistic theory and
practice, and Rubens' treatment of the human body - Featuring beautiful
illustrations of artworks from international and private collections,
many of which will be appearing in the UK for the first time in 2023 -
Provides a complete catalogue for works in this groundbreaking
accompanying exhibition, as well as contextual essays that raise current
debates around sexuality, power and feminism The art of Peter Paul
Rubens (1577-1640) is synonymous with the female nude, with the term
'Rubenesque' first coined in the 19th century to describe a voluptuous
female body. Yet remarkably, there has never been a focused study of
Rubens' depictions of women, making this book, and the exhibition that
it will accompany, a first. Bringing together a diverse range of
paintings and drawings from throughout the artist's career and from a
range of international lenders, the exhibition at Dulwich Picture
Gallery (October 2023 - January 2024) will challenge the popular
assumption that Rubens only painted one type of woman. Instead, it will
present a more nuanced view of the varied and essential role that women
played in the artist's life and work, uniting and contributing to recent
scholarly developments in subjects such as the identities of Rubens'
sitters, 17th century artistic theory and practice, and Rubens'
treatment of the human body. Rubens evidently enjoyed painting the
female figure, especially in its sensual and unclothed form. But his
women are never mere bodies trapped by the male gaze, on the contrary;
they are proud and complex heroines, full of character and gravitas. No
other male artist has created such potent images of female power,
assurance, determination, commitment, and beauty. Providing a catalogue
for the works in the exhibition and featuring three introductory essays
that contextualize Rubens' work, this publication will both contribute
to the existing corpus of scholarly literature on Rubens and introduce
his masterpieces to new audiences, discussing them in the context of
current debates around sexuality, power and feminism.
