DOI Heft:
Nr. 3
DOI Artikel:Jaffé, Michael: Rubens drawings in the Warsaw University Library
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18861#0105
Of the masterpiece in Brunswick there are a number of studio repetitions on canvas, of which
the Leuchtenberg version now in the City Art Museum at St. Louis appears to be tlie best18. The
quality, appreciated by Waagen, is such that it has been exhibited twice in this century in the
United States as an original by the master; and it may well have been retained in Rubens's studio
during Spinola's lifetime, or even for years subseąuently, as a convenient model for producing
to order further copies such as those at Warwick Castle19 and at Easton Neston20. The Easton
Neston painting lacks the splendid lianging and tassel in the background, as does a half-lenght
copy now in a private collection in Detroit21; and that has no room for the plumed helmet and
gauntlet. The existence of thesc and other still inferior copies, and the eventual reference of the
de Jode engraving to the Brunswick painting, combine to indicate that one as the official likeness.
The Prague picture is łikewise superbly handled, yes a shade freer and more glamourous in
the rendering of Spinola's head; and it is manifestly close in date, both from the appearance of
the man and the style of painting. In the manner of his presentation, the variation is restricted
to the more martial effect of his wearing sleeve armour over his white silk doublet. There is tracę of
only one old copy of it, apartial copy at that22, bust-lenght and not to compare in ąuality with the
Leuchtenberg — St. Louis repetition of the Brunswick picture. It is far more likely to have been
painted for a private client. The simple inference is that the Brunswick picture was painted first
for Spinola and then the Prague picture for Dupuy, to whom there was no engraving available
to send. If this is correct this would fit the documented circumstances of a portrait deveIoped
from a life study during summer 1627, when Spinola was aged fifty eight, and of a secoud portrait
completed during the next twelve months. It is not necessary to go on belicving that the Brun-
swick picture was painted in the summer of 1625 in immetliate celebration of themilitary succes
at Breda. Had it been so, it would have been less explicable that a copper engraving was still
unfinished two years later, when Dupuy enąuired. Moreover, sińce Rubens exchanged letters
with Dupuy from April 1626 to 1628, weekly with an almost unbroken regularity, it would be
surprising for Dupuy not to have discovered before August 1627 that Rubens had painted Spinola
from life, had such a portrait been in existence sińce the summer of 1625 when Spinola's capture
of Breda was international news. Bellori may have been correctly informed that Spinola and the
Archduchess visited Rubens's Antwerp studio in 1625; and, if so, Rubens would not have missed
the opportunity to draw a likeness or to sketch a design for a portrait. He need not have done
more, nor may be have had the time to do so on such an impromptu occasion.
What is evident is that the Warsaw drawing is an elaborate study ad vivum of the generał
himself posed in the robes and order of the Golden Fleece. In 1603 at Ventosilla the Duque de
Lerma had directed his groom to sit for the eąuestrian portrait to be composed23. In 1606 the
Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria had directed her maid to stand in her dress, so as to allow Rubens
to register the fali and folds of the silk draperies24. Two decades later, by an extraordinary favour
to a friend, the Marchese Ambrogio Spinola was prepared to give the time to what indeed can
hardly have been a tedious sitting. In Rubens's graphic oeuvre the nearest comparison may be
made with one of his chalk drawings of Jesuit missionaries wearing Chinese costumes, particu-
larly the one extensively annotated by him in Latin which was until recently in the possession
of the heirs of Sir Arthur Hobhouse25 (fig. 10). This group of exotic costume studies was dated by
Miss Clare Stuart Wortley to coincide with a three day festival held in Antwerp between 23 and 25
18. L. Burchard, A Loan Exibilion of Rubens, at Wildenstein, New York, 1951, no. 19, fig. 45, then in the possesion of the
City Art Museum of St. Louis (Mo.). The painting had heen cxibited by W. R. Valentiner, Loan Exibition of Rubens and
Van Dych, Detroit, 1936, no. 30.
19. Oils on canvas, 110x84,5 cm., in the collection of the Earl of Warwick.
20. Oils on canvas, 110x86 cm., in the collection of Lord Heskcth.
21. Oils on canvas, 86x67 cm., in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford West.
22. Formerly with Durand-Ruel, Paris (previousIy attrihuted to J. Sustermans.).
23. Burchard-d'HuIst, op. cit., no. 30 repr.
24. J. S. Held, Rubens: selected drawings, London, 1959, cat. no. 73, pl. 84.
25. Burchard-d'Hulst, op. cit., no. 147, repr.
95
the Leuchtenberg version now in the City Art Museum at St. Louis appears to be tlie best18. The
quality, appreciated by Waagen, is such that it has been exhibited twice in this century in the
United States as an original by the master; and it may well have been retained in Rubens's studio
during Spinola's lifetime, or even for years subseąuently, as a convenient model for producing
to order further copies such as those at Warwick Castle19 and at Easton Neston20. The Easton
Neston painting lacks the splendid lianging and tassel in the background, as does a half-lenght
copy now in a private collection in Detroit21; and that has no room for the plumed helmet and
gauntlet. The existence of thesc and other still inferior copies, and the eventual reference of the
de Jode engraving to the Brunswick painting, combine to indicate that one as the official likeness.
The Prague picture is łikewise superbly handled, yes a shade freer and more glamourous in
the rendering of Spinola's head; and it is manifestly close in date, both from the appearance of
the man and the style of painting. In the manner of his presentation, the variation is restricted
to the more martial effect of his wearing sleeve armour over his white silk doublet. There is tracę of
only one old copy of it, apartial copy at that22, bust-lenght and not to compare in ąuality with the
Leuchtenberg — St. Louis repetition of the Brunswick picture. It is far more likely to have been
painted for a private client. The simple inference is that the Brunswick picture was painted first
for Spinola and then the Prague picture for Dupuy, to whom there was no engraving available
to send. If this is correct this would fit the documented circumstances of a portrait deveIoped
from a life study during summer 1627, when Spinola was aged fifty eight, and of a secoud portrait
completed during the next twelve months. It is not necessary to go on belicving that the Brun-
swick picture was painted in the summer of 1625 in immetliate celebration of themilitary succes
at Breda. Had it been so, it would have been less explicable that a copper engraving was still
unfinished two years later, when Dupuy enąuired. Moreover, sińce Rubens exchanged letters
with Dupuy from April 1626 to 1628, weekly with an almost unbroken regularity, it would be
surprising for Dupuy not to have discovered before August 1627 that Rubens had painted Spinola
from life, had such a portrait been in existence sińce the summer of 1625 when Spinola's capture
of Breda was international news. Bellori may have been correctly informed that Spinola and the
Archduchess visited Rubens's Antwerp studio in 1625; and, if so, Rubens would not have missed
the opportunity to draw a likeness or to sketch a design for a portrait. He need not have done
more, nor may be have had the time to do so on such an impromptu occasion.
What is evident is that the Warsaw drawing is an elaborate study ad vivum of the generał
himself posed in the robes and order of the Golden Fleece. In 1603 at Ventosilla the Duque de
Lerma had directed his groom to sit for the eąuestrian portrait to be composed23. In 1606 the
Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria had directed her maid to stand in her dress, so as to allow Rubens
to register the fali and folds of the silk draperies24. Two decades later, by an extraordinary favour
to a friend, the Marchese Ambrogio Spinola was prepared to give the time to what indeed can
hardly have been a tedious sitting. In Rubens's graphic oeuvre the nearest comparison may be
made with one of his chalk drawings of Jesuit missionaries wearing Chinese costumes, particu-
larly the one extensively annotated by him in Latin which was until recently in the possession
of the heirs of Sir Arthur Hobhouse25 (fig. 10). This group of exotic costume studies was dated by
Miss Clare Stuart Wortley to coincide with a three day festival held in Antwerp between 23 and 25
18. L. Burchard, A Loan Exibilion of Rubens, at Wildenstein, New York, 1951, no. 19, fig. 45, then in the possesion of the
City Art Museum of St. Louis (Mo.). The painting had heen cxibited by W. R. Valentiner, Loan Exibition of Rubens and
Van Dych, Detroit, 1936, no. 30.
19. Oils on canvas, 110x84,5 cm., in the collection of the Earl of Warwick.
20. Oils on canvas, 110x86 cm., in the collection of Lord Heskcth.
21. Oils on canvas, 86x67 cm., in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford West.
22. Formerly with Durand-Ruel, Paris (previousIy attrihuted to J. Sustermans.).
23. Burchard-d'HuIst, op. cit., no. 30 repr.
24. J. S. Held, Rubens: selected drawings, London, 1959, cat. no. 73, pl. 84.
25. Burchard-d'Hulst, op. cit., no. 147, repr.
95