"St. Theresa pleading for the Souls in Purgatory," "St. Anne instructing
the Virgin," and the "Dead Saviour laid on a Stone," are now at
Antwerp. Five of the above pictures and three others, "Christ on the
Cross," "The Resurrection of our Saviour," and "The Adoration of the
Shepherds," were painted in eighteen days, Rubens receiving as
compensation fifty dollars per day, his usual price.
For a magnificent church built by the Jesuits, Rubens painted two works
for the high altar, pictures for two other altars, and thirty-nine
ceilings with Bible scenes, including the "Assumption" and "Coronation
of the Virgin," the "Translation of Elijah," and the "Archangel Michael
triumphing over the Serpent." These works with the church were all
destroyed by fire, caused by lightning, in 1718.
With all this prosperity it was not strange that envy and jealousy
should now and then confront Rubens. One of his rivals invited him to
paint a picture on some chosen subject, and allow umpires to decide
which was the better work. Rubens replied to the challenge: "My attempts
have been subjected to the scrutiny of _connoisseurs_ in Italy and
Spain. They are to be found in public collections and private galleries
in those countries; gentlemen are at liberty to place their works beside
them, in order that the comparison be made."
The great artist used to say, "Do well, and people will be jealous of
you; do better, and you confound them."
He employed several pupils to help him constantly. He would make
sketches and superintend the work, adding the finishing touches. Having
been asked to paint for the Cathedral of Malines a "Last Supper," Rubens
made the drawing and sent it to one of his pupils, Juste van Egmont, to
lay on the ground color. The canon of the cathedral said to Van Egmont,
"Why did your master not come himself?" "Don't be uneasy," was the
reply. "He will, as is his custom, finish the picture."
Egmont went on with the work, when finally the canon, in a rage, ordered
him to stop, while he wrote to Rubens: "'Twas a picture by your own hand
I ordered, not an attempt by an apprentice. Come, then, and handle the
brush yourself: or recall your Juste van Egmont, and tell him to take
with him his sketch; my intention being not to accept it, you can keep
it for yourself."
Rubens wrote back: "I proceed always in this way; after having made the
drawing, I let my pupils begin the picture, finish even, according to my
principles; then I retouch it, and give it my stamp. I shall go to
Malines in a few days; your dissatisfaction will cease." Rubens came,
and the canon was satisfied.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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