Portret van Peter Paul Rubens en zijn vrouw 1793

Richard Earlom created this mezzotint of Peter Paul Rubens and his wife in the 18th century. Earlom’s print is after an original painting in the collection of the Earl of Thanet. The image presents Rubens and his wife in a pastoral scene. They stand before a hunting scene with dead animals, a dog, and a falcon. In 18th century England, the aristocracy owned vast estates, so hunting became symbolic of class status and power. The mezzotint process allowed for rich tonal variations and subtle gradations of light, which Earlom used to depict the textures of fur, feathers, and skin. The Rijksmuseum’s curatorial files and other resources, such as auction catalogs, could reveal more about the print’s provenance. We could learn who owned the artwork and what kind of social and cultural value they might have placed on it.