Rubens, Peter Paul (1577-1640)
Self-portrait
c.1638
Oil on canvas, 110 × 85.5 × 2.4 cm
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Inscription: P.P. RUBINS (!) added later on the left of the column
Despite his great successes, Rubens was always ambivalent about court life. At the beginning of the last phase of his life, he was largely relieved of his diplomatic duties. For this reason, although he orchestrated this portrait of old age with attributes of the courtly portrait (column, sword and glove), he gave his individual features greater weight than is usually the case with this type of picture. (KHM)