Deborah Kip,Wife of Sir Balthasar Gerbier and Her Children 1629 - 1630

Peter Paul Rubens painted "Deborah Kip, Wife of Sir Balthasar Gerbier and Her Children" using oil paint on canvas. The opulence of the fabrics signals wealth, and the family's status is also emphasized in the way that the figures fill the canvas. Every square inch of this painting seems to testify to their place in the world. Rubens was a master of depicting textiles, capturing the weight, drape, and sheen of silk, wool, and linen. Consider the labor involved; not only in the complex weaving of these materials, but also in their design, dying, and tailoring. All this craft knowledge served the purpose of conveying social hierarchy. Rubens was himself a diplomatic figure, so attuned to the subtleties of class and taste. He used these skills to their fullest extent in commissions like this one. Looking closely at the painting, we can recognize the enormous amount of production and consumption that underpinned elite society in the 17th century. This helps us consider the deep intertwining of artistry, material culture, and social context.