Constantius Appoints Constantine As His Successor
1622
Rubens painted this dynamic scene as part of a massive commission for Marie de' Medici, designed to glorify her lineage and rewrite history a bit. It depicts the moment the Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus passes power to his son, Constantine the Great. Notice the winged figure of Victory hovering above, handing a laurel wreath and a globe to Constantine, symbolizing his future triumphs. The loose, energetic brushstrokes suggest this is a preparatory sketch, or 'modello,' giving it a wonderful sense of movement and immediacy compared to the final polished version.
- Technique
- Oil painting
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