Rubens and His Age: Treasures from the Hermitage Museum, Russia
Rubens and His Ageis the catalog of a major exhibition of  Flemish art treasures from the Hermitage in St Petersburg, presented by the Art  Gallery of Ontario. In the early 17th century, the arts of Flanders (the  southern provinces of the Netherlands, centered in Antwerp and ruled by Catholic  Spain) were dominated by the brilliant Peter Paul Rubens. In paintings that  combined northern humanistic detail with the flamboyant expression of the south,  Rubens introduced the Baroque style from Italy, where he worked for eight years.  Many of the 40 Flemish artists represented in the exhibition were his students;  all were influenced by him. Besides monumental religious masterpieces, the  exhibition includes penetrating portraits by van Dyck and Jordaens and scenes of  daily life. Sixty luxurious objets d'art from the Hermitage collections, from  golden goblets to ivory sculptures--several commissioned or designed by  Rubens--give a wider aesthetic context to the paintings. Rubens had an  encyclopedic knowledge of classical art and literature, and many of his subjects  are complex allegories. These are explained for us in informative catalog  entries that analyze the symbolism and iconography of the paintings. Lively  essays by art historian Christine Goettler and curators from the Hermitage  discuss the environment that produced Flemish art. Well designed and beautifully  printed, presenting material not seen in the West for two centuries,Rubens  and His Ageis both an attractive art book and an important addition to  Baroque studies.--John Stevenson