Henri IV the Portrait of Marie de' Medici

Form

  • Grand Manner: Art that is painted with grandiose subjects and that depicts the subjects as grand, ennobled, and perfect
    • Drops horizon low and make figures larger
    • Idealised, noble, strong
  • Rubens rarely finished his own work and prioritised hands and faces
  • Subject is dedicated to major events of the queen for past ans present
  • Marie is in the portrait and she is the only one looking at the viewer
  • Rubens was a naturalist and color was prioritised
    • Other groups are classicists, they argue that composition is important
  • Very large painting

Function

  • Series of 24 historically chronological paintings covering Marie’s life
  • Placed in her personal mansion at Luxembourg Palace
  • Commission of this marked the reconciliation of her son and her
    • Because she was allowed back in Paris and commemorated her successes
    • Idealises and allegorizes her life showing God’s blessings
  • Marie was absolutely perfect

Content

  • Genre painting
  • Landscape and still life
  • Historical painting even though it was a contemporary one
  • Depiction of the marriage of negotiations
  • He is smitten with her, his left hand comes out as if he is surprise or awe
  • At the bottom, he has his armor showing how enamored he is with her that he left the battle grounds
  • Background is France and the woman behind him is the personification of France urging him to do this because it is best for France
  • Cupid (God of love) and Hermen (God of marriage) hold portrait
  • Zeus and Hera hold hands together above showing how they come together for this romance
  • Marie follows in Hera’s footsteps
  • This match was approved by the Gods

Context

  • Rubens is from Flanders
  • Henry IV converted the Catholicism
  • France was Catholic at the time so King IV was called the fake Catholic
  • Marie came with a hefty dowry which helped with debt
  • He originally was opposed to marrying her
  • Had children together but was assassinated in 1610
  • Much of Marie’s life was uneventful and sad
  • Rubens uplifted her life with mythological and allegorical figures

Learning Objective

17th c. Northern Baroque (Flemish) history painting

Themes

Propaganda

Male/ Female Relationships

Deities

Politics

Power

Ideal woman

Interpretation of history

Status