The life and work of Peter Paul Rubens embody the character and qualities of his age. He seems to have been entirely in harmony with the values and aspirations of his society, and his pro tean talents, which were to make him as much diplomat as painter and give him the ear of the most powerful figures in Europe, afforded him a position of signif icance as much on the stage of world affairs as in the history of art. In this sense his career seems, more than that of other great seven teenth-century artists, to be intimately linked to the cen tral political and cultural issues of his time.

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Anyonewho has visited an art gallery will understand the value of being able to look at paintings close up, to see the way the colors have been used and how the paint has been handled Now you,can have your own personal art gallery in this series of "books, History & Techniques of the Great Masters.

Each book brings you a selection of ten or more famous paintings, magnificently reproduced in full Color and with actual size details so that you can see the way the and worked - just as though the paintings in turn and own walls. The text analyzes each painting in turn and informative captions tell you exactly which techniques the artist has used to obtain particular effects, what type of canvas and priming was used,and how the colors were chosen,mixed, and applied.

INTRODUCTION

CHRONOLOGY

THE PAINTINGS

THE JUDGEMENT OF PARES

THE ARTIST AND HIS WIFE

IN A HONEYSUCKLE BOWER

SAMSON AND DELILAH

THE DESCENT FROM THE CROSS

LION HUNT

THE ARRIVAL OF MARIE DE

MEDICI AT MARSEILLES

THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

CONDUCTED TO THE TEMPLE OF VIRTUS

ALLEGORY OF PEACE AND WAR

THE RAPE OF THE SABINE WOMEN

AUTUMN LANDSCAPE WITH A

VIEW OF HET STEEN

INDEX

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS