Henri IV Recieves the portrait of Marie de' Medici, from the Marie de' Medici Cycle
Peter Paul Rubens. 1621-1625 C.E. Luxembourg Palace in Paris, France.
Oil on canvas
The cycle idealizes and allegorizes Marie's life in light of the peace and prosperity she brought to the kingdom, not through military victories but through wisdom, devotion to her husband and her adopted country, and strategic marriage alliances—her own as well as the ones she brokered for her children. This, at least, is the message she wished to convey and she worked closely with her advisors and Rubens to ensure her story was told as she saw fit. 22 panels.
from the Marie de'Medici Cycle
Peter Paul Rubens
1622-1625
Oil on Canvas
- FORM
- Oil on canvas
- 394 x 295 cm.
- Marie and cherub are the only 2 looking out at the viewer: establishes the central authority and future importance of Marie and her progeny for France.
- Strong vertical axis running through the work from Juno/Hera (top) through Marie de'Medici shows the maternal, fertile connection between ideal wives and mothers, as Rubens depicted it.
- CONTEXT: RUBENS' STYLE
- His greatest inspiration was Titian, from the Venetian Renaissance.
- Enjoyed painting the body in dramatic or contorted positions (as seen in Henry IV's posture)
- How Rubens depicted historical figures:
- In the classical style of ancient Greece and Rome
- With intense realism and occasional eroticism
- He was interested in painting wild animals and exotic prints
- Known for painting a uniquely wide range of subjects, including portraits, landscapes, religious and historical works, and hunting scenes.
- Popular for the rich Baroque style he created in his portraits; which favorably depicted his patron.
- Rubens' landscapes later had a large influence on the Romantic style; after he married, he gained a closer relationship to nature.
- He wanted viewers to ponder his works' emotional aspects
- His inclusion of iconography in his portraits of female patrons was meant to give them equal status with the males he depicted.
- All of his male portraits depicted males engaging in intense, even aggressive, physical action.
- His typical full-figured female portraits showed women as sensual, soft, beautiful, and desirable; Marie de'Medici's cycle was an anomale but Rubens was no stranger to depicting figures (usually male) as powerful and accomplished.
- Well-known for his nudes of biblical and mythological women.
- Uses layered allegory and symbolism in his portraits
- CONTENT
- Winged Gods of Marriage (Hymen, left) and of Love (Amor/Cupid, right) present a portrait of Marie de'Medici to the enamored King Henry IV of Navarre.
- Hymen holds a flaming torch in his left hand: symbolizes the passion of love
- Cupid gestures at Marie de'Medici and praises her beauty/worth
- Smitten Henry IV looks on in sheer adoration and delight
- Jupiter and Juno (or Zeus and Hera) look down from above in approval
- They are a blissful, satisfied couple: their hands touch lovingly and they lean towards one another
- Flanked by their animal symbols: Eagle with a Thunderbolt (Jupiter) & Peacock (Juno)
- Even the King of all Gods succumbs to love; Henry IV should do so as well
- Personification of France stands behind Henry, encouraging him to marry for political reasons
- She looks on approvingly at his adoration of Marie
- Lady France wears a plumed helmet, blue robe with an embroidered fleur-de-lys
- Lady France whispers in King Henry's ear
- Tells him to ignore his battles and marry Marie as a smart political move
- Domestic matters are equally as important as military ones to preserving the monarchy
- Henry obliges; his helmet and sword are being toyed with by 2 cherubs in the foreground (putti)
- The remains of Henry's battle -- a burning town -- are in the right background
- CONTEXT
- King and Queen's faces, all hands, and several details in the cycle were painted by Rubens; the rest he designed, but had members of his workshop paint for him in his style.
- 6th painting in a series of 24 works on the life of Marie de'Medici, the orphaned daughter of the Duke of Tuscany.
- King Henry (her husband) was assassinated in 1610, so Marie served as Regent to her son, Louis XIII, for 7 years.
- Divisions in the French court and her disrepute among nobles led Marie to be exiled in 1617.
- The 24-painting biographical series in 1622 marked a restored relationship with her son Louis XIII and marked her return to Paris.
- Marie commissioned the series in 1622 to decorate 1 of the 2 galleries in the Tuileries Palace.
- Series is unique and unprecedented
- Focuses on the life and accomplishments of a Queen
- Includes recent, embarrassing moments from Marie's life
- Very intimate
- Marie carefully manipulated and controlled the images Rubens produced
- Art used as propaganda; over-idealizes her actual life and accomplishments
- For example, her marriage to Henry IV was riddled with infidelities, and the King didn't even show up to the wedding ceremony...
- Makes her life seem peaceful and prosperous
- Presentation of the Portrait is an idealized depiction of the agreement in April 1600 of marriage negotiations between Florence and Henry IV.
- A union overseen by the Gods, driven by Marie's beauty and virtue.
- Henry IV recognized the political and financial advantage of marrying a Medici.
- Henry was "pleased exceedingly" when shown the portrait of Marie
- Religious reasons
- Henry IV was under attack by French Catholics for being Protestant; marrying the Catholic Marie de'Medici absolved this tension.
- Financial Reasons
- Henry IV had a large debt to the Medicis (they funded his military campaigns)
- Marie's dowry lessened his debt
- Henry IV was also nearing 50 years, and needed to produce an heir.
- Marie had their 1st son one year after their wedding, then 5 more kids (4 survived to adulthood)
- Marie arranged successful marriages for her children
- Louis XIII married daughter of the Spanish king
- Daughter Elisabeth married the future King Philip IV, heir to the throne of Spain
- Daughter Henrietta married King Charles of England
- The cycle was installed in Luxembourg Palace in 1625, in time for Henrietta's wedding festivities
- Marie could show off her life accomplishments to the many dignified guests
- Marie died in exile in 1631; her truce with her son Louis XIII was short-lived.
- FUNCTION
- To serve as propaganda, glorifying and justifying the life and accomplishments of Marie de'Medici, Queen and Regent of France
- To depict Marie de'Medici's life in 24 defining paintings
- To compare Marie de'Medici's right to rule, wisdom, and beauty to the ancient mythological gods (ideals at the time of the Baroque era)
- To establish Marie's power and her lasting legacy in France.
- The Presentation of the Portrait
- To depict Marie and Henry IV's marriage as divinely sanctioned, politically and financially intelligent, and an act of love and adoration.
- It's questionable whether or not all of the grandeur was realistic or appropriate, but Marie certainly articulated an idealized, harmonious image of herself and her life's events-- despite the fact they weren't as glamorous as Rubens was asked to make them seem.
Sources
http://www.artble.com/artists/peter_paul_rubens/more_information/style_and_technique
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Paul_Rubens#Art
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/early-europe-and-colonial-americas/reformation-counter-reformation/a/rubens-the-presentation-of-the-portrait-of-marie-de-medici
