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Lot Essay
Related to the 1638 engraving by Hans Witdoeck, this imposing sheet records the composition of one of Rubens's most celebrated altarpieces: the Triptych of Saint Ildefonso (circa 1631). Commissioned by the Archdukes Albert and Isabella, whose portraits ornament its outer wings, the triptych was initially intended for the chapel of the Brotherhood of Saint Ildefonso in the church of Saint Jacob op de Coudenberg in Brussels. It remained there until 1777 when it entered the Imperial Collections in Vienna and is now in the Kunsthistorisches Museum (inv. 678; Vlieghe, op. cit., no. 117). It represents the miraculous vision of Saint Ildefonso, the 7th century Archbishop of Toledo who was a champion of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, and to whom the Virgin appeared during a nocturnal procession in the cathedral, to present him with a chasuble as a token of her gratitude for his loyalty.
Hans or Jan Witdoeck was an Antwerp engraver and publisher who started his career in the studios of Lucas Vorsterman (in 1630-31) and Cornelis Schut (1631-33), and who became a close collaborator of Rubens from circa 1635. He executed prints after fourteen compositions by Rubens, of which Saint Ildefonso is one of the most complex and elaborate, in which printer and painter collaborated to translate Rubens's distinctive style into the medium of engraving. There has been much debate in Rubens scholarship about the correct attribution for these modelli for prints, with Müller Hofstede (1965) arguing that the changes between the painting and the present drawing must point to Rubens's full authorship; while in 1973 Vlieghe took the opposite view and argued that it should in fact be seen as a work by Witdoeck in its entirety. More recent scholarly opinion, however, is that preparatory drawings for Rubens's prints should be seen more in the nature of an artistic collaboration. The black chalk underdrawing was made by Witdoeck or another artist in the studio but was then extensively reworked by Rubens in pen and black ink, grey wash and white gouache. This retouching is so extensive that relatively little of the underdrawing remains visible. The same process can be seen in two other highly-finished modelli for engravings, also formerly in the Jabach collection. The Assumption of the Virgin in the Getty Museum (circa 1624), made in preparation for Paulus Pontius's print, began with an initial drawing by Pontius himself and was then adapted by Rubens; while Queen Tomyris with the Head of Cyrus (circa 1630), in a private German collection, is a study for another Pontius engraving, in which the first drawing is thought to be by one of Rubens's studio assistants (Peter Paul Rubens: The Drawings, ex. cat., New York, 2005, nos. 53 and 55).
Preparing a print offered Rubens the opportunity not only to publicize his composition but to develop it. Here, the columns of the Virgin's throne have been changed from the straight pillars of the painting into sinuous Solomonic columns, alluding to the Temple in Jerusalem. Similarly, the feet of the throne have been developed into lions' paws, in reference to the Lion of Judah from whom Christ traced his descent. The drawing also corrects the overly crowded nature of the composition, opening it up on the left-hand side to allow the figure of the outer female saint to be seen in its entirety. Once the initial drawing had been made, Rubens then added extensive areas of reworking in gouache which developed the solidity of the figures and the sheen of light rippling on fabric and skin - an effect which Witdoeck would translate effectively into his finished engraving. Rubens remained deeply involved in the process until the final state of the print: while the first state (Hollstein 21/I) follows the drawing, the third state (Hollstein 21/III) introduces further refinements, following Rubens's corrections to the second state, such as the addition of an extra sweep of drapery to the mantle of the saint on the right of the engraving.
With its splendid provenance from a series of distinguished 17th and 18th century collections - those of Jabach, Crozat and Mariette - this drawing has long been admired as an example of Rubens's masterful use of the oil sketch. Its power and high finish testify to the close relationships which Rubens maintained with his printmakers, who played such a key role in establishing and promoting his artistic pre-eminence; and it also demonstrates Rubens's unfailing perfectionism as an artist, expressed in his desire continually to develop and refine the impact of his greatest compositions.
We are grateful to Jeremy Wood for confirming the attribution and for his assistance in preparing this note.
Hans or Jan Witdoeck was an Antwerp engraver and publisher who started his career in the studios of Lucas Vorsterman (in 1630-31) and Cornelis Schut (1631-33), and who became a close collaborator of Rubens from circa 1635. He executed prints after fourteen compositions by Rubens, of which Saint Ildefonso is one of the most complex and elaborate, in which printer and painter collaborated to translate Rubens's distinctive style into the medium of engraving. There has been much debate in Rubens scholarship about the correct attribution for these modelli for prints, with Müller Hofstede (1965) arguing that the changes between the painting and the present drawing must point to Rubens's full authorship; while in 1973 Vlieghe took the opposite view and argued that it should in fact be seen as a work by Witdoeck in its entirety. More recent scholarly opinion, however, is that preparatory drawings for Rubens's prints should be seen more in the nature of an artistic collaboration. The black chalk underdrawing was made by Witdoeck or another artist in the studio but was then extensively reworked by Rubens in pen and black ink, grey wash and white gouache. This retouching is so extensive that relatively little of the underdrawing remains visible. The same process can be seen in two other highly-finished modelli for engravings, also formerly in the Jabach collection. The Assumption of the Virgin in the Getty Museum (circa 1624), made in preparation for Paulus Pontius's print, began with an initial drawing by Pontius himself and was then adapted by Rubens; while Queen Tomyris with the Head of Cyrus (circa 1630), in a private German collection, is a study for another Pontius engraving, in which the first drawing is thought to be by one of Rubens's studio assistants (Peter Paul Rubens: The Drawings, ex. cat., New York, 2005, nos. 53 and 55).
Preparing a print offered Rubens the opportunity not only to publicize his composition but to develop it. Here, the columns of the Virgin's throne have been changed from the straight pillars of the painting into sinuous Solomonic columns, alluding to the Temple in Jerusalem. Similarly, the feet of the throne have been developed into lions' paws, in reference to the Lion of Judah from whom Christ traced his descent. The drawing also corrects the overly crowded nature of the composition, opening it up on the left-hand side to allow the figure of the outer female saint to be seen in its entirety. Once the initial drawing had been made, Rubens then added extensive areas of reworking in gouache which developed the solidity of the figures and the sheen of light rippling on fabric and skin - an effect which Witdoeck would translate effectively into his finished engraving. Rubens remained deeply involved in the process until the final state of the print: while the first state (Hollstein 21/I) follows the drawing, the third state (Hollstein 21/III) introduces further refinements, following Rubens's corrections to the second state, such as the addition of an extra sweep of drapery to the mantle of the saint on the right of the engraving.
With its splendid provenance from a series of distinguished 17th and 18th century collections - those of Jabach, Crozat and Mariette - this drawing has long been admired as an example of Rubens's masterful use of the oil sketch. Its power and high finish testify to the close relationships which Rubens maintained with his printmakers, who played such a key role in establishing and promoting his artistic pre-eminence; and it also demonstrates Rubens's unfailing perfectionism as an artist, expressed in his desire continually to develop and refine the impact of his greatest compositions.
We are grateful to Jeremy Wood for confirming the attribution and for his assistance in preparing this note.