Tuesday 3 March 2015

After Rubens, Rape of the Sabine Women


Attributed to "Environment of Theodor van Thulden" or "Antwerp School, 17th century" and identified as a "Rape of the Sabine Women", the painting for sale at Rouillac on 9 March 2015, a very large painting on copper (70 by 86 cm), estimated at 1,500 to 2,000 Euro, seems not to have been recognised as a copy after Rubens.

The unusual bit is that the composition by Rubens was never completed (it was finished by Gaspar de Craeyer after his death, but still looks like a final preparatory work, not the finished painting, which should have been much bigger). The quality of the work for sale is not good enough by far to suppose any involvement of Rubens or De Craeyer though, it is just a copy of it, but in more picturesque colours. Considering the condition, not worth more than the estimate probably, but not the most usual of copies after Rubens, and not identified as such in the catalogue. UPDATE: sold for 2,000 Euro.

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