Pedro Pablo Rubens

It is the central piece of a triptych showing 3 moments of the story of Jesus. The composition presents Christ as the main figure, laid on a white cloth in an oblique position, showing the gradual descent from the top of the cross to the ground. Assisted by biblical characters traditionally considered to have been present at that moment, among them: the Virgin Mary, Joseph of Arimathea, John (the apostle), and Nicodemus.

It is considered a masterpiece of Flemish Baroque style, with figures in harmonious arrangement, drama, and movement filling the canvas, full of details. The light guides the viewer's gaze.

This is a mythological scene, often depicted by the artist, although he only made 2 large and elaborate versions of it, of which this is the second. Three years earlier he had painted this other version of "The Judgement of Paris", currently located at the National Gallery in London.

"Paris" is a Greek mythological character, a prince of Troy. In this passage, he is seen judging the beauty of the three maidens presented to him.

The realism and libertine appearance of the work clashed with the mentality of the more conservative in the 18th century, to the point that its destruction was ordered for being indecent, in the court of Charles III of Spain. This order was soon withdrawn, after a negotiation that left the work hidden from the public for years.

This work depicts the biblical scene known as the "massacre of the Innocents", found in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2; when the Roman King Herod, at the time of Jesus' birth, orders the killing of all newly born Jewish boys to ensure the annihilation of the prophesied Messiah. In response to this event, Jesus' foster father, Joseph, takes exile in Egypt until the danger passes. According to the account, the Jewish population was decimated, with all male children up to 2 years old killed.

The execution of the work is impeccable, with the anatomies, movement, and emotional charge of the characters at a very high level, considered sublime and one of the most perfect paintings in history. This last assertion is supported by the price the work reached in 2001, the highest to date for a pre-Impressionist painting: 49.5 million British pounds, auctioned at Sotheby's in London.

This work was painted in Rome at the beginning of the artist's career. It describes a moment in Greek mythology where Phaeton begs his father, Apollo, to let him drive the chariots of fire. When Apollo reluctantly agrees to hand over the reins of the chariots to his son, one of his greatest fears is confirmed: Phaeton lacks the temperament and strength necessary to maintain the course of the chariots, which unleashes chaos on the Earth's climate, with some places freezing and others burning with heat.

At the beginning of his career, P. P. Rubens was already a connoisseur and lover of classic philosophical ideals. During his travels to the main Italian cities in the early 1600s, he deepened his knowledge of the ancient world, Renaissance painting, and authors who were closest to the classical model, including Raphael, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo. This is evident in the aesthetics, movement, and drama of this painting.

This work is a highly realistic depiction of the Roman god "Saturn," often assimilated to other Greek gods. In the scene, the character is devouring one of his sons, having been informed that one of them would dethrone him. The only survivor was Zeus, who indeed dethroned him in terms of functions and importance.

The version by Goya of the same title is well-known, although it does not demonstrate the shadow of the expertise exhibited by Rubens.

A pictorial scene from the Old Testament biblical passage where Delilah betrays the Hebrew hero Samson, who was in love with her, by cutting his hair after he confessed that his hair was the source of his strength.

The event takes place in a dark room, almost solely lit by the candle held by the old woman on the left. In the background, a small statue of the goddess Venus can be seen, and on the right, soldiers wait for the opportune moment to capture him, once he has lost his power.

This work presents a purely Baroque image of the mythological characters known as "The Graces" or "Charites," who govern the realms of beauty, seduction, and sensuality. They are generic characters that can refer both to the daughters of Zeus and to other minor figures who cultivate the same qualities.

This trio of characters has been widely interpreted in painting and sculpture, with some of the most famous versions being those by Raphael Sanzio and Picasso.

A canvas commissioned by Philip IV for the decoration of his recreational house in El Pardo, Madrid. The characters belong to Roman mythology, and the narrative seeks to explain the origin of our Milky Way, which was created from milk scattered across space when the goddess Juno nursed her baby Hercules, also the son of Jupiter, who appears thoughtful on the left.

Depicts a fantasy situation where ordinary people of the time seem to converge in an idyllic place, surrounded by cherubs and statues of mythological characters.

This work represents a clear inclination towards Rococo. Rubens demonstrates his skill and preference for classical beauty models, as well as a taste for generous ornamentation.

A reproduction painted by Rubens of the painting by Titian of the same title, during a trip to Spain where he encountered a significant part of Titian's work. The composition is almost identical, varying only in some ornamental aspects.

"Grace and violence," these were the words the artist himself used to refer to this work, which was commissioned by John Digby, Earl of Bristol in England.

The composition is fabulous, depicting the struggle between man and beast, with 7 characters clad in Roman and Arabic attire fighting against 2 lions that have not yet been wounded. The movement and tension of the subject is remarkable, considered a masterpiece of European Baroque art.

Jan Brueghel and P. P. Rubens were friends and collaborated on several paintings between 1610 and 1620, mainly of mythological themes. This work shows a clear reminiscence of classical Greek sculptures; in the center, the river god Acheloüs (of the same name) converses with Theseus (the Greek hero).

Saint Sebastian is one of the most symbolic works of the painter, the canvas shows the classic characteristics of his strokes: realistic characters, movement, sinuous anatomies, and strong colors.