Peter Paul Rubens: Portrait de Marie de Mdicis ; Artist [35] The glowing halo around the infant's head should not be seen as a reference to Christian imagery; rather, it should be read according to imperial iconography which uses the halo as an indication of the Queen's divine nature and of her future reign. In turn, Spain can be seen taking the thirteen-year-old Elisabeth by her left arm. She is framed by a triumphal arch and surrounded by people at the court. The cornucopia above the infant's head can be interpreted as a harbinger of Marie's future glory and fortune; the lion may be seen as symbolic of power and strength. Rubens needed to be very careful in the representation of the couple's first meeting because allegedly Henry was very much involved with a mistress at the time of the marriage. [124], The Henry IV cycle was planned to be composed of scenes from the king's military career. This portrait of Johanna of Austria is overall an inexpressive image of a woman. [58] This particular image appears to carry significant weight in Rubens's iconographic program for the cycle, as it appears in six (one quarter) of the twenty-four paintings of the cycle. It has been suggested that the allegorical nature of the work would have made Maries usurpation of this and other masculine roles palatable. Force, extending her oar and heaving to, is identified by the shield just beneath her showing a lion and column. Apollo being associated with art, Athena with wisdom, and Hermes the messenger god for a fluency and understanding of language. Princeton University Press. Maria and her only surviving sister, Eleonora (with whom she had a close relationship) spent their childhood at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, placed under the care of a governess along with their paternal first-cousin Virginio Orsini (son of Isabella de' Medici, Duchess of Bracciano).[6]. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1967. At this time Henry IV was about to depart to fight in the War of Succession over the United Duchies of Jlich-Cleves-Berg; the coronation aimed to confer greater legitimacy on the Queen from the perspective of a possible regency which she would be called upon to provide in the absence of the King. My mom never told me how her best friend died. They are dressed in the classical style, which is naturally appropriate to the scene. [129], The Clemency of Henry in Paris corresponds to the Olympian peace scene in the Marie cycle, with Henry's peace as earthly and Marie's as celestial. However, Henry IV of Navarre was not a rich man and needed Marie's money. To that end, she started an uprising against her own son, now King Louis XIII, using her old allies. In the work, Truth gestures toward the Queen while Time looks toward her from below. She is also placed compositionally in a tight and unified group with the cardinals, signifying a truthful side opposed to Mercury's dishonesty. Marie de Medici was the Queen of France and Henry IVs second wife. His willingness to fit his ideas with those of the patron equipped him with the perfect tools to be in charge of such a delicate and heavily anticipated subject. Symbols and allegory appear throughout the painting. Eventually, Louis realized that if he wanted to get any calm in his kingdom, hed have to mollify her somehow. WebWritten and illuminated in the first quarter of 16th century the Flemish book of hours of Marie de Medici represents a beautiful example of the artistic perfection of Flemish art. The upper part of the canvas is filled with renderings of Marie and her son. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Matilde Battistini, Symbole und Allegorien, Avermaete, Roger. [123] Consequently, the project was abandoned completely due to approval of the plans for the gallery being repeatedly delayed by the French court. [22] From there, she fled on 19 July 1631 towards the city of trungt (in the County of Hainaut), where she slept before going to Brussels. [64] The other two having similar design measurements, it was consigned as the middle painting in a pseudo triptych of sorts as it adorned the halls of Marie de' Medici's Palais du Luxembourg. Henry's painting, beginning the West Wall of the gallery, depicts the scenes following the capture of Paris. WebLorenzo de' Medici "Youth is sweet and well, But doth speed away!, Let who will be gay, Tomorrow none can tell" Lorenzo de' Medici "Desire matched what nature's will decreed: It did not spurn but relished what it had" Lorenzo de' Medici "The more she is denied to him, the more desire inflames and stings his smitten heart" Lorenzo de' Medici It was an Oedipal nightmareso is it any wonder Louis bit back? In 1631, Marie found herself exiled from court for the second and final time, and King Louis made sure his mommie dearest could never come back. Here France takes on an androgynous role being both woman and man at the same time. They regarded Marie as a foreigner for practically her entire time there, especially when the queen could never manage to speak French fluently and continued to keep her childhood friend Leonora as one of her only bosom buddies. They also produced two French queens Catherine de Medici (15471589) and Marie de Medici (16001630). Marie was also very keen to be officially crowned Queen of France, but Henry IV postponed the ceremony for political reasons. While the other paintings were completed at Rubens's studio in Antwerp, The Felicity of the Regency of Marie de' Medici was designed and painted entirely by Rubens on the spot to replace another, far more controversial depiction of Marie's 1617 expulsion from Paris by her son Louis. The painting Louis XIII Comes of Age represents the historical scene of the transferring of power from mother to son in abstract, or allegorical means. From there, the second half of Rubens' cycle begins addressing the more controversial issues from Marie's reign. Marie de' Medici (French: Marie de Mdicis, Italian: Maria de' Medici; 26 April 1575 3 July 1642), was Queen of France as the second wife of King Henry IV of France, of the House of Bourbon and Regent of the Kingdom of France officially during 16101614 and de facto until 1617. The theme of peace, which runs throughout the cycle, was indeed furthered not only in France but in Europe by the marriage alliances brokered by Marie for her children: Louis XIII married a daughter of the Spanish king, her daughter Elisabeth married the heir to the Spanish throne (the future King Philip IV), and her daughter Henrietta married Charles I of England. She wrote extensively, especially to her children and to other powerful European leaders. My dear, never give up a crown to anybody. Rule number one in queen school is to respect your crown. Louis looks upwards to his mother for guidance on how to steer the ship of state. In negotiating the marriage between Marie de' Medici and Henry IV, a number of portraits were exchanged between the two. On either side of the fireplace in the gallery are the portraits of the Queen's parents. In one of his letters the artist describes the theme as "so large and magnificent that it would suffice for ten galleries". Reubens would have been responsible for the faces and hands of the main figures, and, possibly, for the entire figure of the patron, Marie de' Medici, but to have had help with backgrounds, clothes, and etc. [122] Richelieu, who now had full control of the cycle, refused to speak to Rubens about completing the Henry Gallery based on the falsehood that he was tending to affairs of the state. "Heroic Deeds and Mystic Figures". [12] Far from failing, Rubens demonstrated his impressive knowledge of classical literature and artistic traditions,[13] by using allegorical representations to both glorify the mundane aspects and sensitively illustrate the less favorable events in Marie's life. Marie was of a very jealous temperament, and she refused to accept her husband's numerous infidelities; indeed, he forced his wife to rub shoulders with his mistresses. It's okay, Kriss. [83], This particular painting in the Marie de' Medici Cycle is noteworthy for its uniqueness in execution. She even tried to formI kid you nother own league of sons-in-law against Frances interests. - Cleugh; Interests [36] Though Marie was born under the Taurus sign, Sagittarius appears in the painting; it may be seen as a guardian of imperial power. Rubens' Life of Marie de' Medici. WebAfter her husbands death-by-joust, Catherine took the image of a broken lance as her personal emblem, inscribed with the words, lacrymae hinc, hinc dolor (from this come my tears and my pain). Much speculation exists on the exact circumstances under which Marie de' Medici decided to commission Rubens to paint "such a grandiose project, conceived in truly heroic proportions". From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways. After her disembarkation, Marie continued her trip, arriving at Lyon on 3 December. "[119], An important sketch from the collection is the so-called Reconciliation of King Henry III and Henry of Navarre a significant event for Henry IV's ascent to the throne. And the worst was yet to come. [21] This record of visual history and the influences of his contemporaries, some who became lifelong friends of Rubens, would make an imprint on his art throughout his entire life.[22]. View of the Marie de Medici cycle by Peter Paul Rubens in the Louvre (photo: Presentation of the Portrait of Marie de Medici (at left), Marie de Medici cycle in the Louvre, Cupid and King Henry discussing the portrait of Marie de Medici (detail), Peter Paul Rubens, The Presentation of the Portrait of Marie de Medici, c. 1622-1625, oil on canvas, 394 x 295 cm (Muse du Louvre). In the left corner, however, the new ruler himself discusses clemency with a few advisers. Direct link to David Alexander's post This matter is addressed , Posted 3 years ago. [84], Here Marie is shown in allegorical fashion as the personification of Justice itself and flanked by a retinue of some of the primary personifications/gods in the Greek and Roman pantheon. What is also known as a parade boat, Rubens referencing Horace's boat, is adorned with a dragon on front and dolphins on the stern. Her mandate as regent legally expired in 1614, when her son reached the age of majority, but she refused to resign and continued as regent until she was removed by a coup in 1617. It is the weed called envy . She died in almost total poverty and obscurity, far away from both her homeland and the country she had once ruled. [1] The paintings now hang in the Louvre in Paris. WebDespite the challenges of her life as she struggled to regain the power and influence she once had, Marie de Medici lived to hear herself proclaimed mother of three sovereigns, certainly an impressive legacy for the orphaned daughter of the Grandduke of Tuscany. These paintings of her parents in Marie de' Medici's reception hall look bleak in comparison to the portrait of Marie, where she is looking beautiful if not vain. Oh, but theres more. [59] While Rubens was certainly aware of the inherent meaning of the orb and employed it to great effect, it appears that Marie and her counselors instigated its introduction into the cycle to add allegorical and political grandeur to the events surrounding Marie's regency. Rubens was forced to remove these mythical figures and replace them with three generic soldiers. Pages are cut with intricate patterns that are made to look like lace of the period.[21]. The first painting of the narrative cycle, The Destiny of Marie de' Medici, is a twisting composition of the three Fates on clouds beneath the celestial figures of Juno and Jupiter. It also suggests that she perpetuated the policies and ideals of the late King in his life and in death. [38] Hermes dramatically rushes in on the scene and literally brings a gift from the gods, the caduceus. The following 48 files are in this category, out of 48 total. Marie earned a long list of foes in her dangerous game of thrones, but her biggest rival was the one closest to her heart: Her own son Louis. In the end, the great, powerful Marie de Medici passed on July 3, 1642. Her parents, Francesco I de Medici and the Archduchess Joanna of Austria, were powerful movers and shakers in the Tuscan world, and Marie was indirectly descended from Cosimo de Medici, the father of the notorious Medici house. She does not express any hardships she had gone through by the escape. Marie gave birth to her first child, a son, on 27 September 1601 at the Palace of Fontainebleau. In 1532, the family gained the hereditary title of Duke of Florence. In the spring of 1617, Louis finally ousted his mother from the throne in a coup detat, exiling her to the remote Chateau de Blois and executing her ally Concino Concini in the process. Obscurity, far away from both her homeland and the country she had gone through by the escape Henry... 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