Although his ministry touched the masses, he saw the need to teach his ‘disciples’ closely,” says the Expositor’s Bible Commentary. His skilled use of light and shadow had the effect of bringing together images of faith and spiritual reflection with added dimensions of drama, emotion, and psychological intensity, which no doubt would have a powerful impact on the religious imagination of its viewers.“Here Jesus stands at the height of his popularity. Overall, it was quite interesting to see how Rubens’ masterful artistic techniques enabled him to bring these stories from the Bible to life. Again, Rubens excels at depicting the psychological drama of the Biblical narrative. But within all that chaotic movement, one detail stands out: the horrified reaction on the face of a mother which matches our own, as we are confronted with this brutal scene. Perhaps that is the whole point: the work confuses and stuns us with its relentless, tumbling mass of bodies that overwhelms the senses. When I saw “The Massacre of the Innocents,” Rubens’ portrayal of Herod’s murder of all boys younger than two in Bethlehem, I had trouble picking out the details of exactly what was happening. Yet Christ himself is not darkened the glow around his head marks his divine presence, and his fingers are pointed dramatically toward heaven, adding to the power of his statement. This play of light and shadow can also be observed in “The Tribute Money,” in which Jesus makes the ambiguous proclamation “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and unto God that which is God’s.” As if to portray this division between worldly and spiritual matters, Rubens divides his painting in two: part of the work is bathed in light, flowing down from the upper left, while the other half of the image, where Jesus stands, is covered in shadow. The focus is instead on the impact of his emotional, psychological response.
Perhaps all he sees are King Darius’ men opening the entrance of the cave, but we do not see what he sees. As Daniel looks up toward that light source which we cannot see, we are left to read in his expression (a mix, perhaps, between awe, wonder, desperation, and gratitude) the exact nature of that divine presence. The fact that this heavenly light is coming down from above suggests a divine presence. The danger posed by the horde of lions is contrasted against their beautifully-portrayed, realistic golden fur, shining in the light. Here, Rubens uses the bright light streaming into the shadowy cave from above to emphasize the narrative impact and emotional intensity of the moment in the Old Testament tale when Daniel’s prayers are answered by God and he is rescued from the den. The monumental scale of the work emphasizes the grandeur of the Biblical theme–an effect that is only successful when viewing the physical painting itself. It’s difficult to tell from this small image, but Daniel and the lions are larger than life-size, and at the museum, I had to back away from the painting to properly view all of it. One excellent example of this style on display at the exhibit was his “Daniel in the Lions’ Den,” a massive wall-sized painting that left quite an impression. However, he moves well beyond that, also encouraging the viewer to consider the psychological drama and emotional impact behind those Biblical narratives. As a painter who created works aligned with expressions of Catholicism, Rubens portrayed devotional, faith-based images of stories from the Bible for spiritual reflection. I was impressed by Rubens’ ability to utilize light and shadow, as well as his mastery of active, dynamic compositions, to inject dramatic intensity into his depictions of Biblical scenes. This movement in art was a key aspect of the Church’s Counter-Reformation efforts in Antwerp, which was one of the great centers of Catholicism in Northern Europe at the time. The Twelve Years’ Truce (1609–21) had just put a temporary stop to the wars between Catholics and Protestants, and this period of peace and economic restoration enabled Antwerp to experience a vibrant resurgence of culture and art, marked by a renewal of Catholic spiritual and ideological expression.
The exhibit, focusing on the years 1608-1620, is a survey of the early career of Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640), the renowned Flemish artist of the Baroque style who achieved great success in Antwerp. I recently had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Early Rubens exhibit at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco.
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