The Massacre of Innocents was painted by Peter Paul Rubens in two versions. The painting depicts an incident of the Biblical Massacre of Innocents. The first version of Massacre of Innocents dates around 1611. Both the versions are among the most expensive paintings of the world.
The Artist Peter Paul Rubens:
Peter Paul Rubens was an artist who began his art career from June 28, 1577 and continued till May 30, 1640. Rubens was a great creative seventeenth century Flemish and European painter. He also had his major contribution in promoting the decorative style painting emphasizing color, movement, and sensuality. Paul Rubens is also known for his magnificent creation of portraits, landscapes, altarpieces and paintings based on myths and allegory. Usually all the paintings by Rubens are divided into three different categories; paintings painted by Rubens, paintings he supervised and those he painted in parts.
Painting Description:
The 1611 Massacre of Innocents by Paul Rubens depicts the experience of the artist from the period between 1600 and 1608. The painting truly unfolds the artist's consistent observation of the works of Italian Baroque painters like Caravaggio. The dramatic scene presented and the use of rich colors in the painting truly reflects that influence. Another reason behind the enormous popularity of the painting is the use of Chiaroscuro, a great contrast between light and dark color.
The painting was painted in several versions; the first version of it ranges from around 1611. During the eighteenth century, the painting was kept in the Liechtenstein Collection in Vienna, Austria. The painting was handed over to one of Rubens' assistants, Jan van Den Hoecke in 1767. After that it was sold out to an Austrian family in 1920. Again in 2001, the painting was found at Sotheby's in London in the hands of George Gordon, a specialist in Dutch and Flemish paintings. Between 1636 and 1638, Rubens painted another version of the Massacre of Innocents.
Massacre of Innocents Auction:
The historic painting which depicted the biblical social scenario went for auction on July 10, 2002. It was sold in an auction at Sotheby's, London for £49.5 million to a Canadian press baron, Kenneth Thomson. Till date the price set the record of the most expensive vintage paining ever auctioned.
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