The Coronation of the Victor
about 1630/35 | Peter Paul Rubens
Dead opponents are lying at the feet of a victorious commander. Victoria, the goddess of victory, is crowning the victor with a laurel wreath. He, however, is turning towards the personification of Virtue behind him with a bundle of lightning bolts. Rubens based this painting on one of his own earlier compositions (ca. 1613, Kassel, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister), giving it new meaning by slightly varying it: instead of a coronation of a victor, who with the help of “Concord” has defeated “Discord”, here we have the coronation of a victor who is outstanding in virtue.
Dead opponents are lying at the feet of a victorious commander. Victoria, the goddess of victory, is crowning the victor with a laurel wreath. He, however, is turning towards the personification of Virtue behind him with a bundle of lightning bolts. Rubens based this painting on one of his own earlier compositions (ca. 1613, Kassel, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister), giving it new meaning by slightly varying it: instead of a coronation of a victor, who with the help of “Concord” has defeated “Discord”, here we have the coronation of a victor who is outstanding in virtue.
Artist:
Peter Paul Rubens (1577 Siegen - 1640 Antwerpen) DNB
Time:
about 1630/35
Object Name
Painting
Culture
Flemish
Material/technology:
oak wood
Dimensions:
47,5 x 65,5 cm
Copyright
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Gemäldegalerie
Invs.
Gemäldegalerie, 695
Provenance
Coll. Nicolas Régnier, Venice (?); Coll. Leopold Wilhelm;
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