Bridgewater Titians

Philip II, King of Spain (1527-1598)Philip II, King of Spain (1527-1598) Perseus & AndromedaPerseus & Andromeda Queen Elizabeth I as Diana and Pope Gregory XIII as CallistoQueen Elizabeth I as Diana and Pope Gregory XIII as Callisto Charles I, 1600 - 1649. Reigned 1625 - 1649Charles I, 1600 - 1649. Reigned 1625 - 1649 Diana and Callisto, by Peter Paul Rubens, after TitianDiana and Callisto, by Peter Paul Rubens, after Titian Philippe, Duke of Orléans, 1674 - 1723. Regent of FrancePhilippe, Duke of Orléans, 1674 - 1723. Regent of France Bridgewater House Gallery, 1900Bridgewater House Gallery, 1900 Titians at the National Gallery of ScotlandTitians at the National Gallery of Scotland Girl Holding Her FootGirl Holding Her Foot SabineSabine

Peter Paul Rubens

Diana and Callisto, by Peter Paul Rubens, after Titian

Diana and Callisto, by Peter Paul Rubens, after Titian

The art of diplomacy and the business of painting went hand in hand in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The painter Rubens was the archetypal artist-diplomat of his day. In 1628 he travelled to Madrid as emissary for the sovereigns of the Spanish Netherlands. There, he saw Titian’s great paintings and made copies of both the Diana pictures, but only the Diana and Callisto survives. Rubens was reaching the peak of his career as a painter, but his study of the old master was to elevate his art to new heights. Furthermore, he encountered the young painter Velazquez, whose own style was influenced by watching Rubens paint, and by listening to his advice to study the art of the Italian masters. The following year Velazquez made for Italy, a trip that was to have a powerful effect on his work.

  • Location Private Collection
License granted courtesy of The Rt Hon. The Earl of Derby 2008
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  • License granted courtesy of The Rt Hon. The Earl of Derby 2008

Additional Information

Both of Rubens’s copies of the Diana paintings made their way into the collection of King Charles I of England, which is ironic as had come so close to owning the originals during his engagement to the Spanish Infanta.