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MASTERPIECES IN COLOUR

EDITED BY T. LEMAN HARE


RUBENS




IN THE SAME SERIES


      ARTIST.                 AUTHOR.

    VELAZQUEZ.              S. L. BENSUSAN.
    REYNOLDS.               S. L. BENSUSAN.
    TURNER.                 C. LEWIS HIND.
    ROMNEY.                 C. LEWIS HIND.
    GREUZE.                 ALYS EYRE MACKLIN.
    BOTTICELLI.             HENRY B. BINNS.
    ROSSETTI.               LUCIEN PISSARRO.
    BELLINI.                GEORGE HAY.
    FRA ANGELICO.           JAMES MASON.
    REMBRANDT.              JOSEF ISRAELS.
    LEIGHTON.               A. LYS BALDRY.
    RAPHAEL.                PAUL G. KONODY.
    HOLMAN HUNT.            MARY E. COLERIDGE.
    TITIAN.                 S. L. BENSUSAN.
    MILLAIS.                A. LYS BALDRY.
    CARLO DOLCI.            GEORGE HAY.
    GAINSBOROUGH.           MAX ROTHSCHILD.
    TINTORETTO.             S. L. BENSUSAN.
    LUINI.                  JAMES MASON.
    FRANZ HALS.             EDGCUMBE STALEY.
    VAN DYCK.               PERCY M. TURNER.
    LEONARDO DA VINCI.      M. W. BROCKWELL.
    RUBENS.                 S. L. BENSUSAN.
    WHISTLER.               T. MARTIN WOOD.


  _In Preparation_

    VIGEE LE BRUN.          C. HALDANE MACFALL.
    BURNE-JONES.            A. LYS BALDRY.
    HOLBEIN.                S. L. BENSUSAN.
    J. F. MILLET.           PERCY M. TURNER.
    MEMLINC.                W. H. JAMES WEALE.
    ALBERT DUeRER.           HERBERT FURST.
    FRAGONARD.              C. HALDANE MACFALL.
    CONSTABLE.              C. LEWIS HIND.
    RAEBURN.                JAMES L. CAW.
    CHARDIN.                PAUL G. KONODY.
    BOUCHER.                C. HALDANE MACFALL.
    WATTEAU.                C. LEWIS HIND.
    MURILLO.                S. L. BENSUSAN.


  AND OTHERS.




[Illustration: PLATE I.--ELIZABETH OF FRANCE, DAUGHTER OF HENRY IV.
Frontispiece (In the Louvre)

The Princess is seen to great advantage in this fine portrait. The fair
complexion of the sitter is remarkably preserved, the white ruff, the
jewels, and the gold brocade are very cleverly handled. Another portrait
of Princess Elizabeth, painted in Madrid, may now be seen in St.
Petersburg.]




Rubens

BY S. L. BENSUSAN


ILLUSTRATED WITH EIGHT REPRODUCTIONS IN COLOUR


[Illustration]


LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK

NEW YORK: FREDERICK A. STOKES CO.




CONTENTS


                                Page
    I. Introduction               11

   II. The Painter's Life         21

  III. Second Period              35

   IV. The Later Years            45

    V. The Painter's Art          55




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS


  Plate
     I. Elizabeth of France, Daughter of Henry IV.        Frontispiece
          In the Louvre
                                                                  Page
    II. Christ a la Paille                                          14
          At Antwerp Museum

   III. The Four Philosophers                                       24
          In the Pitti Palace, Florence

    IV. Isabella Brandt                                             34
          In the Wallace Collection

     V. Le Chapeau de Paille                                        40
          In the National Gallery

    VI. The Descent from the Cross                                  50
          In the Cathedral, Antwerp

   VII. Henry IV. leaving for a Campaign                            60
          In the Louvre

  VIII. The Virgin and the Holy Innocents                           70
          In the Louvre




[Illustration]




I

INTRODUCTION


The name of Peter Paul Rubens is written so large in the history of
European art, that all the efforts of detractors have failed to stem the
tide of appreciation that flows towards it. Rubens was a great master
in nearly every pictorial sense of the term; and if at times the
coarseness and lack of restraint of his era were reflected upon his
canvas, we must blame the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries rather
than the man who worked through some of their most interesting years,
and at worst was no more than a realist. There may have been seasons
when he elected to attempt more than any man could hope to achieve.
