http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/020710/168/1twhb.html
Is that dude smashing babies?
This is really titled “Massacre of the Innocents” ?
$76 Million?
I am…stunned… ohmyfuckinggod.
The big deal is what, exactly? The violent nature of the image, or the price?
Like RTA I’m puzzled by your OP.
Please clarify.
The painting depicts Herod’s slaughter of young boys in the attempt to avert prophecy relating to the birth of Jesus. It’s hardly a glorification of their murder; the painting itself is more of a study in emotional and dramatic states, common to work of the baroque period. Rubens was also deeply affected by the Counter-Reformation and selected religious subjects for many of his paintings. You may have something in common with the woman who sold it; she hated it so much she lent it to a monastery, where it was hung in a dimly lit back hallway. But I’m still confused by your post.
Mea Culpa
I was unfamiliar with the painting and its depiction of Herod. It’s horrific - yet that’s what Rubens meant. A credit to him that it’s lasted 400+ years and fetched 8X its expected price.
Mathew 2:1:
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem . . .”
::drat::
I’d timed-out on several other reply attempts today, and thought better and was rewriting that last post after it also timed-out (but somehow got through).
It’s not like me to be offended by art. I am familiar with Rubens “Descent from the Cross” -
http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/r/rubens/11religi/07desce.html
which is in an Antwerp Cathedral. I’d like to see it someday - but after showing ignorance on Flemish Masters…I hope the customs folks at Schipol don’t have a photo of me with ‘don’t let this guy in’ caption.
mea culpa