Pintura Holandesa y Flamenca, 1700 – 1800
Cabeza del mayor de los Reyes Magos
Peter Paul Rubens recibió de su amigo, el editor Baltasar Moretus, el encargo de pintar una serie de tres retratos de los Reyes Magos. Este es del Mago más anciano, que vino de Grecia trayendo oro como regalo. El rey, vestido con un manto de seda de damasco forrado en piel, ofrece su regalo con gran dignidad y reverencia. Rubens consigue que sus manos y rostro envejecidos se perciban más como atributos de sabiduría que como indicios de fragilidad.
Literatura:
MAP Catalog I, 1965, p. 150 MAP Catalog II, 1985, p 266. Selected general bibliography: Engraved by Charles Waltner, entitled Le Mage grec (L’Art 2, 1876, following p. 94) W. R. Valentiner, “Rubens’ Paintings in America,” The Art Quarterly 9, 1946, no. 59J.-A. Goris and J. S. Held, Rubens in America (New York, 1947) no. 50 J.S. Held: Rubens: Selected Drawings, 2 vols (London and New York, 1959) J.S. Held, The New Museum in Ponce, The Art Quarterly 27, 1964, 29, fig.22R. Taylor, The Ponce Art Museum, Antiques 90, 1966, 683J.S.. Held: The Oil Sketches of P. P. Rubens, 2 vols (Princeton, 1980) J.S. Held: Rubens and his Circle (Princeton, 1982) J.S. Held: ‘Thoughts on Ruben’s Beginnings’, Ringling Mus. A.J. (1983), pp. 14–35 Masterpieces from East and West. The Cleveland Museum of Art. Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. New York. 1992, p 118. ISBN 0-8478-1523-4; Important ans Fine Old Master Paintings, Christie’s New York, 1994, #91, p. 122; Minty, N.T. In the Eye of the Beholder: Northern Baroque Paintings from the Collection of Henry H. Weldon. New Orleans Museum of Art 1997 pp 108-111; Old Master Paintings, Sotheby’s London, Auction cat. December 1998, #27, p. 44 Important Old Master Drawings. Christie’s New York 28 Jan 1999. #s 92, 96; Important Old Master Paintings. Auction cat. Christie’s New York. 25 May 1999, #111, p 124-5; Selected Works from The Dayton Art Museum Institute Permanent collection, 1999, p. 229 Old Master Paintings Part One, Sotheby’s London, Auction Cat. 10 july 2002, pgs. 18-38 and 148-153; “Chronique de l’Hotel Drouot, L’Art, Vol. II of 1881, 67; “Le Tableaux anciens de la galerie de M. John W, Wilson” Max Rooses, L’Oeuvre de P.P. Rubens, Vol. I, 186, no. 172; Wildenstein, New York , A Loan Exhibition of Rubens, February 20-March 31, 1951, Catalogue by Ludwig Burchard, no. 14 and repro. P. 41.
Procedencia:
Balthasar Moretus (1574 – 1641); Balthasar Moretus (nephew) (1658); Count Van de Werf de Vosselaer, Antwerp (1871); Count Roose; Countess Dowager de Roose; sold Antwerp, May 8, 1796, no. 4; Count Beauffort; Countess Amadée de Beauffort, né Countess de Roose de Baisy; sold Apr. 10, 1876; Bought by John W. Wilson; sale Wilson, Drouort, Paris, Mar. 14, 1881, no. 97 (M. Gouchez); sold Christie’s, London, July 13, 1889, no. 54; Mac Murdo, London; Boesch, Vienna; Durand-Ruel 1892; Charles H. Sneff, New York, and Stettenheim Trust; Mrs. Marshall Brown; sold
Sotheby’s, London, June 27, 1962, no. 102.
Exposiciones:
Société néerlandaise de bienfaisance, Brussels, “Exposition de tableaux et dessins d’anciens maîtres,” 1873, no. 152 (lent by Countess de Beauffort); New York World’s Fair, “Masterpieces of Art”, 1940, n. 72; Wildenstein, New York, “A Loan Exhibition of Rubens” (L. Burchard), Feb. – Mar. 1951, no. 14.
