The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine (Colour Sketch for the Altar of the Church of the Augustinian Fathers in Antwerp), verso: Two Cavalry Battles, Peter Paul Rubens
Peter Paul Rubens
The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine (Colour Sketch for the Altar of the Church of the Augustinian Fathers in Antwerp), verso: Two Cavalry Battles
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This work consists of multiple parts
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Realisation

Peter Paul Rubens: Hochaltarbild für die Augustinerkirche in Antwerpen, 1628, Öl auf Leinwand, 564 x 401 cm, Inv.-Nr. IB1958.001, Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerpen

Peter Paul Rubens

The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine (Colour Sketch for the Altar of the Church of the Augustinian Fathers in Antwerp), verso: Two Cavalry Battles, 1628


Gesamtmaß
64.0 x 49.2 x min. 0.5 cm
maximum depth
0.5 cm
Physical Description
Oil on oak
Inventory Number
464
Acquisition
Acquired in 1816 as part of the founder’s bequest
Status
On display, 2nd upper level, Old Masters, room 6

Texts

About the Work

Rubens developed many of his large-scale painting commissions in series of sketches. Painted on both sides, this panel served him in 1627/28 in his preparations for the altarpiece of the Church of the Augustinians in Antwerp. The Frankfurt sketch combines several individual studies in an overall composition for the first time. Badly damaged by a strip of wood glued to it later on, the sketch of a lion hunt on the back was carried out in preparation for the painting cycle executed by Rubens from 1628 onwards for Maria de’ Medici as an apotheosis of Henri IV of France.

About the Acquisition

Art collecting was popular among the well-to-do burghers of Frankfurt during the eighteenth century, but only in the case of the banker and spice merchant Johann Friedrich Städel (1728-1816) did the private art collection end up as an art institute that was open to the public. Städel decreed in his will in 1815 that his collection should be "open for use and inspection by prospective artists and art lovers on specific days and at specific times freely and without charge, under appropriate supervision". He also expressed the wish "that in future the Institute should be expanded through contributions, legacies and gifts by other art lovers and supporters of the fine arts".

Audio & Video

  • Basic information
    01:21
  • Focus on material
    02:15
  • KunstIStück – Peter Paul Rubens: Die mystische Vermählung der Heiligen Katharina (Entwurf)
    Sammlungshighlights des Städel Museums in unterhaltsamen und informativen Filmen – das sind die Kunst|Stücke. Entdecken Sie spannende Details zu Kunstwerken aus ungewöhnlichen Blickwinkeln in unter zwei Minuten. Peter Paul Rubens: Die mystische Vermählung der Heiligen Katharina (Entwurf), 1628, Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main https://sammlung.staedelmuseum.de/de/werk/die-mystische-vermaehlung-der-heiligen-katharina#yt

Work Data

Basic Information

Title
The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine (Colour Sketch for the Altar of the Church of the Augustinian Fathers in Antwerp), verso: Two Cavalry Battles
Painter
Backside
Two Cavalry Battles
Period Produced
School
Object Type
Physical Description
Oil on oak
Material
Technique
Label at the Time of Manufacture
Am unteren Bildrand von rechts nach links Maßstriche und Ziffern von 1 bis 12

Property and Acquisition

Institution
Administration
Collection
Creditline
Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main
Picture Copyright
Public Domain
Acquisition
Acquired in 1816 as part of the founder’s bequest

Work Content

Iconclass

Primary
  • 11F611 'Sacra Conversazione'
  • 11HH(CATHERINE)34 the mystic marriage of St. Catherine of Alexandria with the infant Christ: the Christ-child puts a ring on her finger
  • 11H(PETER)0 the apostle Peter, first bishop of Rome; possible attributes: book, cock, (upturned) cross, (triple) crozier, fish, key, scroll, ship, tiara - male saint represented in a group
  • 11H(PAUL)0 the apostle Paul of Tarsus; possible attributes: book, scroll, sword - male saint represented in a group
  • 11H(JOHNTHEBAPTIST)0 male saints (JOHNTHEBAPTIST) - male saint represented in a group
  • 11H(GEORGE) the warrior martyr George (Georgius); possible attributes: banner (red cross on white field), (red) cross, dragon, (white) horse, broken lance, shield (with cross), sword
  • 11H(NICHOLAS OF TOLENTINO) the Augustine hermit, Nicholas of Tolentino; possible attributes: book, crucifix, (entwined with lilies), lily, (basket with) loaves, two doves (on a dish or flying away), star (on his breast)
  • 11H(SEBASTIAN)0 the martyr Sebastian; possible attributes: arrow(s), bow, tree-trunk - male saint represented in a group
  • 11H(LAURENCE) the martyr and deacon Laurence of Rome; possible attributes: book, censer, cross, dalmatic, gridiron, palm, purse (or cup with golden coins)
  • 11HH(CLARE OF MONTEFALCO) female saints (CLARE OF MONTEFALCO)
  • 11HH(AGNES) the virgin martyr Agnes of Rome; possible attributes: lamb, ring
  • 11HH(APOLLONIA) the virgin martyr Apollonia of Alexandria; possible attributes: book, crown, palm-branch, tooth in pincers
  • 11H(AUGUSTINE) Augustine, bishop of Hippo; possible attributes: arrows piercing his breast, book, child with spoon, flaming heart, heart (pierced with arrows), pen
  • 11G191 angel(s) represented as child(ren)
Secondary
  • 48C161 column, pillar ~ architecture

Research and Discussion

Provenance

Object History
...
Marquis Marc-René de Voyer d'Argenson (1722-1782), Paris
möglicherweiser Verkauf, 1763-65
...
möglicherweise Jean de Julliene (1686-1766), Paris
möglicherweise Verst. J. de Julliene, Paris (Remy, Julliot) an Vincent Donjeux für Fontanieu, 30. März-22. Mai (30. März) 1767 (Nr. 101)
...
möglicherweise Jean-Baptiste-Guillaume de Gevigney (1729-1802), Paris
möglicherweise Verst. Abbé Abbé de Gevigny, Paris, 18. Mai 1767
...
möglicherweise anon. Verst. Paris (Remy), 11. Februar 1782 (Nr. 18)
...
möglicherweise Johann Anton de Peters (1725-1795), Paris und Köln
möglicherweise Verst. Elisabeth Gouel de Villebrun, Paris (Lebrun, Remy) an den Kunsthändler Thomas-François Guérin (1767-1829), 5.-9. (5.) November 1787 (Nr. 27)

Information

Since 2001, the Städel Museum has systematically been researching the provenance of all objects that were acquired during the National Socialist period, or that changed owners or could have changed owners during those years. The basis for this research is the “Washington Declaration”, also known as the “Washington Conference Principles”, formulated at the 1998 “Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets” and the subsequent “Joint Declaration”.

The provenance information is based on the sources researched at the time they were published digitally. However, this information can change at any time when new sources are discovered. Provenance research is therefore a continuous process and one that is updated at regular intervals.

Ideally, the provenance information documents an object’s origins from the time it was created until the date when it found its way into the collection. It contains the following details, provided they are known:

  • the type of acquisition and/or the way the object changed hands
  • the owner's name and place of residence
  • the date on which it changed hands

The successive ownership records are separated from each other by a semicolon.

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Last update

22.03.2023