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.…
Van Eyck, Jan (c.1390-1441) Cardinal Niccolò Albergati? c.1438 Oil on oak, 34 × 29.5 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna During a peace congress in Arras in 1435, van Eyck made a silverpoint drawing (Dresden), in which he not only recorded the physiognomy…
Brueghel, Jan the Elder (1568-1625) Large bouquet of flowers in a wooden vessel c.1606–1607 Oil on oak, 97.5 × 73 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna From 1600 on, painting flowers developed into a separate category of still life. Jan Brueghel is one…
Bellotto, Bernardo (1721-1780) Vista di Vienna dal Belvedere (Vienna Viewed from the Belvedere Palace) 1758–1761 Oil on canvas, 135 × 213 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna This view of Vienna from the Upper Belvedere Palace, the summer palace of Prince Eugene of…
Canaletto (1697-1768) La Dogana a Venezia (The Dogana in Venice) c.1724–1730 Oil on canvas, 46 × 63.4 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna Across the forecourt of the Dogana (customs office) at the mouth of the Grand Canal, the view goes to the…
Tiepolo, Giambattista (1696-1770) Bruto e Arrunte (Death of consul L. J. Brutus in a duel with Arruns) c.1728–1730 Oil on canvas, 383 × 182 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna Inscription: On the typeface above the ballhorned quote: MVTVO VVLNERE OCCVBVIT ADVLTERVM FERE…
Guercino (1591-1666) Ritorno del figliol prodigo (Homecoming of the Prodigal Son) 1619 Oil on canvas, 107 × 143.5 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna Compare: Guercino (1591-1666) Il ritorno del figliol prodigo 1654–1655 Timken Museum of Art, San Diego
Mantegna, Andrea (c.1431-1506) San Sebastiano (St. Sebastian) c.1457–1459 Oil on poplar, 68 × 30 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna Sebastian was the leader of the bodyguard of the Roman emperor Diocletian and was sentenced to death for his Christian faith. The saint…
Tintoretto, Jacopo (1518-1594) Susanna e i vecchioni (Susanna and the Elders) c.1560 Oil on canvas, 167 x 238 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris Compare: Tintoretto, Jacopo (1518-1594) Susanna e i Vecchioni 1552–1555 Museo del Prado, Madrid Tintoretto, Jacopo (1518-1594) Susanna e i vecchioni…
Tiziano (c.1488-1576) Bravo (The Bravo) c.1515–1520 Oil on canvas, 77 × 66.5 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna Titian intensifies the close-up half-figure action picture developed by his teacher Giorgione into concentrated drama. The three-quarter portrait of the vine-leafed protagonist contrasts with the…