Five special pieces from the Rubens House on a visit

A sculpture, two paintings, a scientific instrument and a piece of furniture: this is a good representation of the collection from the Rubens House. And the pieces fit very well in a historic house such as Museum Plantin-Moretus.

Terracotta sculpture

Martine Maris, curator of the Rubens House: "The Roman demigod Hercules is a very important figure for Rubens. You can find him in many ways in his home, in his personal collection and in his artworks. Hercules embodies neo-stoicism. Rubens is a follower of that philosophical movement, just like his friend Balthasar I Moretus, who heads the Plantin Press."

"The sculpture is the work of Lucas Faydherbe (1617-1697), an apprentice and young friend of Rubens. In fact, Faydherbe is his protégé with whom he has a very close relationship. The fact that this sculpture is made in terracotta is extraordinary for me. Marble can be very impressive. But in terracotta, you can see the sculptor's fingerprint, sometimes even quite literally. It is much more direct and I like that."

The sculpture can be found in Room 6, accessible through the courtyard garden.

oil sketch on panel

Martine Maris, curator of the Rubens House: "The Adoration of the Shepherds is a very accessible theme. The story of the nativity scene is very familiar. Prior to this, Rubens (1577-1640) had already created other depictions of the scene, including one for a publication by the Plantin Press. The childhood friends Rubens and Moretus have a very strong artistic and economic connection, in addition to their personal bond. Rubens creates many book covers and illustrations for the Plantin publishing house. They are also entirely on the same wavelength intellectually. Together, they produce several scientific books. Rubens applies the theories from those books in his work or in the way he organises himself."

"In this work, the successful light-dark effect stands out. A finished painting can be fantastic, but in an oil sketch like this, the creativity is even more immediate. You can see the genius that is captured on a small panel in just a few minutes or hours. That is precisely why Rubens also collects oil sketches by other artists whom he admires."

You will find the work in Room 10, Christoffel Plantin's office.

oak veneered with ebony, tortoiseshell, agate, gilded copper ornaments and a painting in oil on copper

Martine Maris, curator of the Rubens House: "In the renovated Rubens House, we want to emphasise the domestic character even more. We have fantastic artworks by Rubens and his associates. But what makes the Rubens House unique is that this building was the home and studio of Rubens. We also display objects that tie in with this, such as this recently restored home altar."

"At the centre of this beautiful Baroque home altar, you can see a miniature of a painting by Rubens. The contrast between the ebony, tortoiseshell (the mottled red shell of a tortoise - ed.), gold and copper is remarkable. This is almost kitsch, as lavish as this piece of furniture is. It fits perfectly with the Rubens House: on the one hand, there is that homely feel; on the other, it is an illustration of Rubens' sumptuous interior. The same applies for the house of Moretus, where this piece belongs just as well. A home altar is typically a piece that is found in private quarters. At Museum Plantin-Moretus, you now find it in the sleeping quarters, where it fits well with the rest of the decor."

The home altar is in the bedroom, Room 24, upstairs.

brass

Martine Maris, curator from the Rubens House: "At the Rubens House, we have always found this instrument very interesting. It is a beautiful, seventeenth-century instrument, gilded and inscribed for Albrecht and Isabella. As a sundial, it is also a unique instrument. It is very complex and displays different hours. That is why it fits perfectly within the artistic-intellectual milieu in Antwerp to which Rubens and Moretus belonged. For that seventeenth-century club, art and science are closely intertwined. The fact that the sundial is dedicated to the Archdukes fits perfectly in this context. Albrecht and Isabella encourage art as well as science and research."

The sundial is by the science books in Room 22 on the upper floor.

oil on panel

Martine Maris, curator of the Rubens House: "The detail in this work is incredible, that is truly Brueghel (1568-1625). You look first at the park on the Coudenberg. Looking further, you see a whole series of animals and people. You can always discover new details in this work. But the surroundings are more important than who is seen in the painting, the park takes centre stage."

"The Archdukes Albrecht and Isabella are very important in Rubens' career. As their court painter, he enjoys many privileges. For instance, he is not required to reside at their court, but is allowed to settle in Antwerp. That gives him the opportunity to undertake numerous commissions for Antwerp's urban elite. Later, Rubens also works as a diplomat for Isabella. Brueghel and Rubens are good friends, by the way."

You will find the painting in the manuscript room, room 27, upstairs.