Apotheosis of King James I 1634

Peter Paul Rubens completed this oil sketch, Apotheosis of King James I. The piece employs traditional fine art materials and techniques, exemplifying Ruben's mastery of the oil medium and the skilled tradition of baroque painting. Rubens’s material handling creates a composition alive with movement and texture, the loose brushstrokes and dynamic composition imbuing the scene with energy. The layering and blending of pigments on the canvas are used to create a vibrant scene filled with texture, creating a sense of depth and volume which enhances the dramatic quality of the scene. Sketches like these were important steps in Ruben's studio production, as they worked out the composition for larger, more detailed paintings. Commissioned artworks, in particular, were a way for artists like Rubens to gain social capital as well as wealth, and the final artwork was as much about this as it was the artists' skill. By examining the materiality and the process of its making, we gain a richer understanding of the artistry and social dynamics embedded in this work.