Oil painting, 'War and Victory: Model for a Title Page', Peter Paul Rubens, 1634-1635

Oil sketch in grisaille depicting a male allegorical figure carrying war trophies on the right and a winged female allegorical figure extending a laurel wreath up towards an eagle with a serpent in its talons on the left; at the top two Genii crown a coat of arms with wreaths while at the bottom is a cartouche left blank.

P. J. Mariette, sale Paris, 15 Nov. 1775, lot 15; Prince de Conti, sale Paris, 8 Apr. 1777, lot 246; De Ghent, sale Paris, 15 Nov. 1779, lot 357; Albert Hartshorne of Ashbourne, from whom purchased by the museum in 1891.

This painting was created as a model for a frontispiece, i.e. a title page for the Spanish edition of Diego de Aedo y Gallart's "El Memorable y Glorioso Viaje del Infante Cardenal D. Fernando de Austria" published in Antwerp by Jan Cnobbaert in1635, which recounts the voyage of the Cardinal Infante Ferdinand of Austria from Spain to Brussels where he had been appointed Governor of the Netherlands. It is one of only three known oil sketches in grisaille (monochrome painting) by Rubens for title pages.

The composition was engraved by Marinus van der Goes as Rubens very rarely engraved himself his compositions for prints. The centre has been left blank to insert the title of the book and is flanked by the God of War, Mars, on the right, and the allegory of Victory, identifiable to the palm leaves she holds in her hand, on the left. At the top, two Genii crown the coat of arms of the Cardinal Infante Ferdinand with wreaths. In the engraved editions of the book, both in French and Spanish, the position of the figures is reversed (See for example engravings in The British Museum: 1857,0314.6. (Spanish Edition), 1891, 0414.1299 and 1857,0314.7 (French edition).

This model is one of 48 known title pages that Rubens created, the majority of which were made for the Plantin-Moretus press in Antwerp for books on everything from theology, politics, history, archaeology, philology, poetry and science. Rubens' drawings for book illustrations and title pages are distinct in that they are more precise, finished and are executed by the artist's own hand. In these models, Rubens took care that his figures would appear right-handed when the design was reversed in the final print. Before the final design was engraved, a draft such as this would be submitted to the author.

The present work is a model for a title page in a book published in Antwerp by Jan Cnobbaert in1635. Although Rubens was a prolific designer, it is one of only three known oil sketches in grisaille (monochrome painting) he made for title pages. This work is a good example of Rubens’ art which blended features of the Italian High Renaissance, with which he became acquainted during an extended visit to Italy, with northern realism. Back in Antwerp in 1608 to seek work prospects on the eve of the Twelve-year Truce with Spain (1609-21), he benefited from the stimulating government and patronage of Archdukes Albert and Isabella.

D.1399-1891