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PETER PAUL RUBENS
Siegen 1577 - 1644 Antwerp & Workshop
The Christ Child and the Infant St. John the Baptist
c. 1620/25
Oil on Canvas
125 x 158 cm

Provenance:
Russian Tsar's family
Marriage of a Wittelsbach woman to the Russian Tsar's family to Seehof Castle, Bavaria
Collection Baron Franz Josef von Zandt, Seehof Castle, Bavaria
Private collection, Switzerland, 1951
Private collection, Vienna

Provenance
Expertise Huges Le Grand
Expertise Didier Bodart
Expertise Julius Held
Expertise Hans Vlieghe
Expertise Rubenianum
Expertise Franz Mairinger
UV and X-rays

THE "SEEHOF" RUBENS
A rediscovery that was thought to have been lost!

Provenance
This particularly lovely scene of Jesus and John the Baptist as children, playing with the lamb, is not only probably the most famous subject of the Flemish Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) but also of exceptional provenance: through the marriage of a Wittelsbach woman to the Russian Tsar family, the oil painting came into the important art collection of Seehof Castle near Bamberg in Bavaria, which was subsequently in the possession of Baron Franz Joseph von Zandt (1902-1951). Princess Marianna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (*1919) confirmed in writing in January 1994 that the present work was in this collection and had been sold to a Swiss art collector in 1951.

Stylistic analysis
After a detailed stylistic analysis, the Rubens expert and Professor Emeritus (among others Columbia University, New York University, Yale University) Julius S. Held (1905-2002) already commented in writing in March 1982 that he recognized the present painting in an excellent state of preservation as a workshop work with the personal participation of the master. It stands out in comparison to the already known paintings of this popular subject after a believed lost original by Rubens especially in its exquisite quality. It is worth mentioning that world-class museums such as the Alte Pinakothek in Munich and the National Museum in Warsaw also own repetitions of Rubens' workshop of the same subject. The Rubenianum in Antwerp and its scientific director, Professor Hans Vlieghe, confirmed Julius Held's assessment in an e-mail from 2012, underpinning its qualitative importance as the second best version in the world, after the version in Munich.

Technical analysis
How was this masterpiece technically judged? The large-format (125 x 158 cm) oil painting was at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in June 1991 and has been technologically examined by Prof. Dr. Franz Mairinger, (1967-1998, head of the Institute for Color Theory, Color Chemistry and Painting Materials Science). He prepared a photographic documentation, including black and white images and color negatives of both sides, as well as a radiation examination of the painting. This was done using UV fluorescence, reflective UV, infrared, and X-ray imaging. The surface of the artwork was also examined under a stereomicroscope, identifying and evaluating the layers of painting; this also allowed retouching and overpainting to be recorded. The dense, hand-woven canvas is preserved in its original format, being a composition of several canvases laid on top of each other, as was common in Rubens' workshop. This bears a ground coat of dark brush underdrawings, and on top of that a thin layer of paint called imprimatur, to which the colors were applied from hand rubbed pigments: This approach is characteristic of 17th century Dutch paintings. The analyses revealed that this work of art can be dated with certainty to the first half of the 17th century on the basis of its material composition, and furthermore its Flemish origin can be confirmed.

Further assessments
These technological evaluations were subsequently sent to the Rubens expert Prof. Dr. Didier Bodard in Rome, who had analysed the painting in the original during a visit to Vienna shortly before. At the owner's request, he estimated the current value of the oil painting at 7,000,000 US dollars in November 1991. Bodard stated in a written expert opinion that, not least because of the carefully planned composition, it was a work of art designed by Peter Paul Rubens himself; he would also have completely supervised the execution of the painting. Like Held, Bodard also emphasised the extremely high quality of the painting, which in his opinion was created around 1620-25.
Another indication of authenticity: in a recent report, Hugues le Grand, a French expert on Flemish and Dutch painting (15th-17th centuries), also confirmed that this was probably a work by the hand of Peter Paul Rubens, based on the application of the paint, the luminosity and the transparent shadows.
After thorough examination by acknowledged experts, as well as after carefully conducted technical analyses, it can be stated beyond doubt that the present painting is an highly significant rediscovery of an original work by Peter Paul Rubens and his workshop.

The Prince of Painters
Who was Peter Paul Rubens? The Flemish painter was born in Siegen/Westphalia in 1577. After learning the craft of painting from Tobias Verhaecht, Adam van Noort and Otto van Veen, he was part of the Guild of St. Luke in Antwerp from 1598. At the beginning of the 17th century he spent time in Italy and Spain. He was particularly influenced by Italian painting, especially Renaissance works by Titian or those of antiquity, which he was able to study through the patronage of the court in Mantua. After his return to Antwerp, his marriage and subsequent employment as court painter to the governor's couple, he created a studio that is considered the largest artist's workshop in the Baroque period. As the so-called "Prince of Painters", he carried out important ecclesiastical and secular commissions.

Jesus and the Infant St. John the Baptist as children
Jesus and John the Baptist are depicted as children, stroking a lamb, in an idyllic landscape. The motif comes from biblical and apocryphal texts dealing with Jesus' childhood, namely how John the Baptist greets his cousin Jesus. The former presents him with the Lamb, according to his testimony in John's Gospel (1:29): "The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." The relationship between the two children is a reference to the baptism of Christ.
The luminous center is formed by the two half-naked child figures in lively, moving, pyramidal composition, between them the extremely lively-looking animal. John, with a shock of red-brown hair and characteristic fur overcoat, is shown lunging and touching with his right hand the neck of the lamb kneeling on the forest floor. His head is resting on the knee of the infant Jesus, who gazes pensively down at the animal and strokes its head. He is also depicted in virtuoso captured motion; carefully stepping up with his right foot so as not to injure the lamb's foreleg. At the same time, this suggests the bond between Christ and the Lamb as the Agnus Dei: he was destined to be the Lamb of God from the moment of his birth. His blond curls are illuminated by a light source, with his calotte forming the highest point of the group of figures. He is additionally framed by the dark rocky outcrop that gapes over his head. Possibly this rock offers shelter for a short rest? However, it also gives the impression that the Christ child has just emerged from a dark cave, whereby this could already refer to the resurrection, underlined by the lamb of God as a symbol of that very resurrection. Furthermore, the red cloth points to the Passion of Christ. In addition, the watercourse behind John could point to the future baptism of Christ. The cheerful mood of the sky is only clouded by a somewhat darker cloud - could this reflect a still carefree, carefree childhood? The saturated green tones and the clear course of the river suggest a promising, spring-like natural mood, which the painter has captured in a decidedly careful manner.

Color and light
The expressiveness of the picture is enhanced by the skillful color and light direction. The exciting overall configuration is therefore underlined by the high coloristic effect. Not only the light-dark contrasts within the landscape draw the eye to the center of the picture, but also the expressively designed incarnate parts, which are composed of a mixture of red, yellow and blue. This color scheme, typical for Rubens in the design of the skin surfaces, additionally emphasizes the luminous incarnate material with modeled penumbra. It is especially the elements of color design and light incidence that make the scene shine masterfully and show the viewer how Rubens further developed classical painting through the virtuoso dynamism of the Baroque. Rubens exerted great influence on the successors of Dutch painting.

Workshop processes
The dignified expressiveness of the painting is particularly expressed by the playful depiction of children, which is located in a landscape. This reflects a popular theme in Rubens' oeuvre; as a comparative example, the painting "The Fruit Garland" (Alte Pinakothek, Munich) should be mentioned here. This was executed by the Prince of Painting together with Frans Snyders (1579-1657) and Jan Wildens (1586-1653). In a multi-stage working process, most of the paintings were actually executed by Rubens' workshop according to his sketches, although this was strictly controlled by Rubens. His workshop was immensely productive, and the way it worked can be compared more to a manufactory, especially because of the large number of works executed. Rubens also employed independent masters who were responsible for certain details, for example, specializing in landscape painting. Among other things, numerous works have evidence that Wildens, one of his most talented collaborators, executed the landscape. Bodard stated in his expertise that the landscape in this painting could also have been painted by Wildens, basing this not only on stylistic features but also on the different technical execution of the figures and the landscape. However, it is beyond doubt that this is a work of art designed by Rubens, in which he also had a hand.

Distribution of Rubens compositions
Rubens' detailed preparatory drawings and sketches not only enabled him to work quickly and in detail in his own workshop; he also used media such as woodcuts and engravings to disseminate and reproduce his art. Christoffel Jegher (1596-1652), who worked for Rubens, produced a woodcut of the same subject based on Rubens' design in mirrored façon (dimensions: 34 x 45 cm). It is a woodcut in Chiaroscuro, made around 1632-36, therefore during Rubens' lifetime. In the lower left margin the monogram "C.I" of the artist and "P. P. Rubens delin./ & excudit". This clearly shows that the idea for the composition and individual details came from Rubens himself. In comparison to the painting, the agreement in physiognomic details such as the fingers and toes or such as the fleshy muscles on the arms and legs is particularly noteworthy, as well as the finely worked landscape with the bird sitting on an elevated branch.

It is known that Rubens made "improvements" in the final painting of some of his works. In the Seehof version here, for example, the grazing animals in the background are not shown, although this could indicate an intensified sacred atmosphere. Furthermore, a cord with a loop has been added to tie John the Baptist's fur cloak at the waist, rather than just throwing it around loosely in an artificial-looking way. An important feature is also the posture of John, who in the Seehof version does not clasp the neck of the lamb with both hands, but only appears to pat the animal's flank with his right hand. This reduces the animal's presentational display and allows for an intimate intimacy between the protagonists and the lamb. Numerous other woodcuts from later times exist that take up this popular pictorial theme in the same or similar composition by Rubens. Furthermore, there are numerous woodcuts, copperplate engravings or oil paintings that fetched high prices at auctions, but are clearly inferior in quality to this work. In addition, features such as the omission of the grazing animals, the tying of the cloak and the omitted hand around the neck of the lamb are singular in the series of repetitions and testify to an innovative creative power that only Rubens could have executed.

Selected comparisons

Schleissheim, Munich
A particularly high-quality repetition of this subject is in the Staatsgalerie in the Neues Schloss Schleissheim in Munich, titled "Jesus and John in Youthful Age" (inv. no. 1296). It is dated around 1628, identified as "Peter Paul Rubens (School)" and has a similar format (dimensions: 121.3 x 162.5 cm). Minimal differences exist between the two paintings, including the more prominent rocky outcrop, the more concisely overdrawn high forehead in the Baroque manner, and a stronger color palette in the depiction of the sky, with the deeper blue and dark clouds in the Munich version having a more ominous character; it should be noted that Rubens' Seehof was not cleaned and there is a yellowed varnish and dirt over the painting. Furthermore, the nature, and especially the plant with the two flowers between the two children is executed differentiated.

National Museum, Warsaw
Another version is in the National Museum in Warsaw (inv. no.: M.Ob.2404 MNW, dimensions: 120 x 172 cm). In this repetition, the color palette seems more restrained, as do the otherwise staged plays of light in Rubens' works. The outlines are also drawn harder, giving the overall image of the Warsaw version a sharp-edged expression. As a result, the conception also appears somewhat more somber and the otherwise characteristic luminosity is muted. Furthermore, the faces in the Seehof version are shown more chubby-cheeked and the surface of the incarnate material is clearly modeled more expressively.

Chateau Chenonceau, Vallee de la Loire
Another version is in the Salon de Louis XIV in the Château Chenonceau, Vallee de la Loire. It is attributed to Rubens and dated 1615. In this depiction, dark clouds have already gathered and the trees seem almost caught in a storm. Due to the gray undertone of the overall depiction, the Chenonceau version is again more ominous than in Rubens' "Seehof".

"Spinola" Rubens
The so-called "Spinola" Rubens (dimensions: 112 x 149.5 cm) was shown as a work of Rubens in numerous exhibitions and finally sold in 2020 as a work from Rubens workshop. Hans Vlieghe also confirmed here that it was a painting from Rubens workshop. In the case of the "Seehof" Rubens, he stated, as Julius Held had previously, that it was the second best version, after Munich. Deviating features from the "Spinola" Rubens are the overdrawn, high forehead with a receding chin, the grayish fur of the lamb, the strongly contrasting but less luminous incarnate material and the darker blue of the background.

Summary
The work of art by Peter Paul Rubens and his workshop that is being auctioned here is a sensational rediscovery on the international art market that was thought to have been lost. All the world's leading art historians and Rubens scholars have examined the work, analyzed it scientifically and confirmed it as an authentic work. The provenance of the Russian Tsar's family makes the "Seehof" Rubens a special, art-historically important painting which would find its ancestral place in any major museum in the world.
The very good state of preservation underpins the value. Expert restoration will increase the radiance, transparency and depth of this magnificent work of art many times over, making it a shining example of the creative power of Peter Paul Rubens.

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