Orpheus and Eurydice 

Peter Paul Rubens painted "Orpheus and Eurydice" in the 17th century, capturing a moment from classical mythology with oil on canvas. Rubens, as a painter in the Catholic Baroque tradition of the Spanish Netherlands, weaves together classical myth and counter-reformation thought. The painting evokes a world in which the role of institutions is vital to maintaining social order. Look at how the drama of Orpheus's failed attempt to retrieve his wife from the underworld is shown through dynamic composition and the contrast between light and shadow. The visual codes of the Baroque period emphasized emotion and movement, reflecting a culture undergoing religious and political upheaval. Historical records and studies of Rubens's patrons and artistic influences enrich our understanding of how artists negotiated the complex social and political landscape of their time. Art doesn't exist in a vacuum. Its meaning is deeply tied to the world in which it was created.