LUKE (ACTOR):
“On the first day of the week… the women… went to the tomb… but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus… Suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you: …The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"
NARRATOR:
This is how the apostle Luke described the dramatic discovery of Christ’s Resurrection, depicted here by the Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens. Notice how each woman reacts differently to the miraculous news. At the center, the Virgin Mary, tears streaming down her face, clasps her mauve shawl about her… while at the right, the repentant sinner Mary Magdalene shields her eyes with her veil.
The vivid colors and theatrical gestures here suggest the influence of contemporary Italian painting. In fact, Rubens painted this panel shortly after returning from Rome, where he had studied the art of classical antiquity. The figures’ rounded forms and clean contours also recall ancient reliefs and statuary, which Rubens collected and displayed to great acclaim at his house in Antwerp.
The Holy Women at the Sepulchre
c. 1612-14
Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577-1640)
On View
On the third day after the Crucifixion, women visiting Christ's tomb are greeted by two angels surrounded by a blazing light of celestial radiance [Luke 24:4]. The angels deliver the astonishing news of the Resurrection. Each woman reacts differently to the miraculous announcement, contemplating the profound significance of what they have heard.
Working under the influence of Roman art, Rubens gives a deeply sculptural effect to this dramatic composition. Using highly rounded forms, with clear contours and rich colors, he creates a surging movement of rhythmic undulations from left to right. Though the exact identity of each figure has fallen into question, recent debate has convincingly suggested that the woman shielding her eyes with her veil is Mary Magdalene. The central figure is the Virgin Mary, whose form is derived directly from the Roman "Pudicitia," now in the Vatican.
Details
- Artist Name: Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577-1640)
- Title: The Holy Women at the Sepulchre
- Date: c. 1612-14
- Culture: Flemish
- Medium: Oil on panel
- Dimensions: framed: 46 x 53 3/4 in. (116.8 x 136.5 cm); panel: 34 5/8 x 42 in. (88 x 106.7 cm)
- Credit Line: The Norton Simon Foundation
- Accession Number: F.1972.51.P
- Copyright: © The Norton Simon Foundation
Object Information
Possibly commisioned by a member of the Clarisse family, Antwerp ca. 1617.
probably Friedrich Karl Lang (1766-1822), ca. 1796 – ca. 1804 to;
[Dominic Artaria, buying for];
Johann Rudolf, Count Czernin collection, (Vienna, 1757-1845);
Czernin Collection, Vienna (on loan to Residenzgalerie, Salzburg from 1955-1971).
[Pinakos, Ltd., sold 30 April 1971 to];
[Thomas Agnew and Sons, London, stock J7255 as Holy Women and the Two Angels, sold 1972 to];
The Norton Simon Foundation.
probably Friedrich Karl Lang (1766-1822), ca. 1796 – ca. 1804 to;
[Dominic Artaria, buying for];
Johann Rudolf, Count Czernin collection, (Vienna, 1757-1845);
Czernin Collection, Vienna (on loan to Residenzgalerie, Salzburg from 1955-1971).
[Pinakos, Ltd., sold 30 April 1971 to];
[Thomas Agnew and Sons, London, stock J7255 as Holy Women and the Two Angels, sold 1972 to];
The Norton Simon Foundation.
Exposition d'art ancien. L'art belge au XVII siècle
- Musée du Cinquantenaire, 1910-06 to 1910-11
Drei Jahrhunderte Vlämische Kunst, 1400-1700
- Vienna, Weiner Secession, 1930-01-11 to 1930-02-23
[on loan]
- Salzburg, Residenzgalerie, 1955 to 1972
[on loan]
- Prague, 1966 to 1966
[on loan]
- Cleveland Museum of Art, 1972-07-26 to 1973-09-10
[on loan]
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1973-09-14 to 1974-04-04
[on loan]
- Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, de Young Museum, 1974-04-10 to 1974-11-10
[on loan]
- Phoenix, Phoenix Art Museum, 1980-11-21 to 1981-05-20
Masterpieces of European Painting from the Norton Simon Museum
- The Frick Collection, 2009-02-10 to 2009-05-10
Reinstallation of Galleries: Art History of the 17th and 18th Century Gains Fresh Dimension
- Norton Simon Museum, 1993-09-02 to 1995-08-13
Hymans, H., Gazette des Beaux Arts, p. 332
Sutton, Peter, The Age of Rubens, fig. 6 p. 152
Steinberg, Leo, Source: Notes in the History of Art, pp. 77-79
Anonymous, Apollo, pl. III p. 144-147
Gerson, Horst, The Connoisseur, fig. 3 p. 163
Baldass, Ludwig, Pantheon, p. 136
Dillon, F., Rubens, pl. CCXV
Evers, Hans Gerard, Peter Paul Rubens,
Glück, Gustav, Belvedere, p. 168
Frimmel, Theodor von, Kunstchronik, p. 542
Rooses, Max, L'oeuvre de P. P. Rubens, vol. 2, pp. 151-152, no. 340, pl. 116; vol. 5, p. 328 p. 151-152; 328
von Bertuch, Carl, Bemerkungen auf einer Reise aus Thüringen nach Wien in Winter 1805 bis 1806,
Smith, John, A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch, Flemish & French Painters, vol. 2 (1830),, no. 945; vol. 9 (1842) , p. 328, no. 310 p. 281; 328
Perger, A. von, Öesterreich Blätter für Literatur und Kunst, pp. 236-237
Waagen, Gustav F., Die vornehmsten Kunstdenkmäler in Wein, no. 24 p. 298
Lavice, A., Revue des Musées d' Allemagne, p. 449
Mundler, O., Zeitschrift fur bildende Kunst, p. 48
Burchkhardt, Jakob, Erinnrungen aus Rubens, p. 39
Frimmel, T., Handschriftl. Aufzeichnungen,
Rooses, Max, Rubens' Leven und Werke, pl. 116 pp. 151-152
P.P. Rubens, Des Meisters Gemälde, p. 204
Rooses, Max, Rubens-Bulletijn, no. 340 p. 295
Anonymous, Trésor de l'art belge au XVII siècle: mémorial de l'Exposition d'art ancienà Bruxelles en 1910 . . ., no. 322
Oldenbourg, R., P. P. Rubens, Des Meisters Gemälde, p. 79
Die Zeichmungen von P. P. Rubens,
Keiser, E., Müchner Jahrbuch der bildenden Kunst, p. 132
Lehmann, F. R., P. P. Rubens: Menschen und Mächte des Barocks, ein Zeitbild,
Wiczek, Karl, Katalog der Graf Czernin'schen Gemaldgälerie in Wein, no. 168 pp. 76-77
Wülfingen, Bock von, Rubens in der deutschen Kunst Betrachtung,
Arents, P., Rubens-Bibliografie, Geschriften van en aan Rubens,
Burckhard, Jakob, Recollections of Rubens, p. 39
Katalog der Residenzgalerie Salzburg mit Sammlung Czernin, no. 109, pl. 3 pp. 56-57
Jaffé, Michael, Wadsworth Anthenaeum Bulletin, pp. 12-13
Katalog der Residenzgalerie Salzburg mit Sammlung Czernin und Sammlung Schönborn-Bruchheim, pl. 7 pp. 72-73
Stechow, Wolfgang, Rubens and the Classical Tradition, fig. 48 p. 55, 58
Jaffé, Michael, Rubens and Italy, p. 25, 81
Morse, John D., Old Master Paintings in North America, p. 242
Held, Julius S., The Oil Sketches of Peter Paul Rubens, fig. 16 pp. 52, 440-441, 505
Norton Simon Museum, Selected Paintings at the Norton Simon Museum, p. 47
Agnew, Geoffrey, et al., A Dealer's Record. Agnew's 1967-81, p. 80
De Grummond, Nancy, The Ringling Museum of Art Journal, fig. 10 pp. 78-90
Freedberg, David, The Life of Christ after the Passion: Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, part VII, no. 6, figs., 8, 12, 13 pp. 21-22, 39-42
Coffey, Susan C., Peter Paul Rubens, col. pl. 3, 3a pp. 9-14, cover
Held, Julius, Source: Notes in the History of Art, pp. 66-76
Jaffé, Michael, Catalogo Completo Rubens, no. 267 p. 198
Masterpieces from the Norton Simon Museum, pp. 56-57
Bauman, Guy; and Walter A. Liedtke, et al., Flemish Paintings in America: A Survey of Early Netherlandish and Flemish Paintings in the Public Collections of North America, fig. 422 p. 363
White, Christopher, The Age of Rubens, fig. 6 p. 152
Taft, W. Stanly, Jr., and James. W. Mayer, The Science of Paintings, color pl. 20 p. 66
Meij, Dr. A.W.F.M., Rubens, Jordaens, van Dyck and Their Circle, fig. 2 p. 316-318
Haag, Sabine, Elke Oberthaler and Sabine Pénot, Vermeer: Die Malkunst, pp. 70, 72-73, 137; ill. 10-11, 286-289
Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, cat. 890 p. 348
Sutton, Peter, The Age of Rubens, fig. 6 p. 152
Steinberg, Leo, Source: Notes in the History of Art, pp. 77-79
Anonymous, Apollo, pl. III p. 144-147
Gerson, Horst, The Connoisseur, fig. 3 p. 163
Baldass, Ludwig, Pantheon, p. 136
Dillon, F., Rubens, pl. CCXV
Evers, Hans Gerard, Peter Paul Rubens,
Glück, Gustav, Belvedere, p. 168
Frimmel, Theodor von, Kunstchronik, p. 542
Rooses, Max, L'oeuvre de P. P. Rubens, vol. 2, pp. 151-152, no. 340, pl. 116; vol. 5, p. 328 p. 151-152; 328
von Bertuch, Carl, Bemerkungen auf einer Reise aus Thüringen nach Wien in Winter 1805 bis 1806,
Smith, John, A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch, Flemish & French Painters, vol. 2 (1830),, no. 945; vol. 9 (1842) , p. 328, no. 310 p. 281; 328
Perger, A. von, Öesterreich Blätter für Literatur und Kunst, pp. 236-237
Waagen, Gustav F., Die vornehmsten Kunstdenkmäler in Wein, no. 24 p. 298
Lavice, A., Revue des Musées d' Allemagne, p. 449
Mundler, O., Zeitschrift fur bildende Kunst, p. 48
Burchkhardt, Jakob, Erinnrungen aus Rubens, p. 39
Frimmel, T., Handschriftl. Aufzeichnungen,
Rooses, Max, Rubens' Leven und Werke, pl. 116 pp. 151-152
P.P. Rubens, Des Meisters Gemälde, p. 204
Rooses, Max, Rubens-Bulletijn, no. 340 p. 295
Anonymous, Trésor de l'art belge au XVII siècle: mémorial de l'Exposition d'art ancienà Bruxelles en 1910 . . ., no. 322
Oldenbourg, R., P. P. Rubens, Des Meisters Gemälde, p. 79
Die Zeichmungen von P. P. Rubens,
Keiser, E., Müchner Jahrbuch der bildenden Kunst, p. 132
Lehmann, F. R., P. P. Rubens: Menschen und Mächte des Barocks, ein Zeitbild,
Wiczek, Karl, Katalog der Graf Czernin'schen Gemaldgälerie in Wein, no. 168 pp. 76-77
Wülfingen, Bock von, Rubens in der deutschen Kunst Betrachtung,
Arents, P., Rubens-Bibliografie, Geschriften van en aan Rubens,
Burckhard, Jakob, Recollections of Rubens, p. 39
Katalog der Residenzgalerie Salzburg mit Sammlung Czernin, no. 109, pl. 3 pp. 56-57
Jaffé, Michael, Wadsworth Anthenaeum Bulletin, pp. 12-13
Katalog der Residenzgalerie Salzburg mit Sammlung Czernin und Sammlung Schönborn-Bruchheim, pl. 7 pp. 72-73
Stechow, Wolfgang, Rubens and the Classical Tradition, fig. 48 p. 55, 58
Jaffé, Michael, Rubens and Italy, p. 25, 81
Morse, John D., Old Master Paintings in North America, p. 242
Held, Julius S., The Oil Sketches of Peter Paul Rubens, fig. 16 pp. 52, 440-441, 505
Norton Simon Museum, Selected Paintings at the Norton Simon Museum, p. 47
Agnew, Geoffrey, et al., A Dealer's Record. Agnew's 1967-81, p. 80
De Grummond, Nancy, The Ringling Museum of Art Journal, fig. 10 pp. 78-90
Freedberg, David, The Life of Christ after the Passion: Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, part VII, no. 6, figs., 8, 12, 13 pp. 21-22, 39-42
Coffey, Susan C., Peter Paul Rubens, col. pl. 3, 3a pp. 9-14, cover
Held, Julius, Source: Notes in the History of Art, pp. 66-76
Jaffé, Michael, Catalogo Completo Rubens, no. 267 p. 198
Masterpieces from the Norton Simon Museum, pp. 56-57
Bauman, Guy; and Walter A. Liedtke, et al., Flemish Paintings in America: A Survey of Early Netherlandish and Flemish Paintings in the Public Collections of North America, fig. 422 p. 363
White, Christopher, The Age of Rubens, fig. 6 p. 152
Taft, W. Stanly, Jr., and James. W. Mayer, The Science of Paintings, color pl. 20 p. 66
Meij, Dr. A.W.F.M., Rubens, Jordaens, van Dyck and Their Circle, fig. 2 p. 316-318
Haag, Sabine, Elke Oberthaler and Sabine Pénot, Vermeer: Die Malkunst, pp. 70, 72-73, 137; ill. 10-11, 286-289
Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, cat. 890 p. 348
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