What:
Modest Temperance Triumphant over Shamelessness by P.R. Rubens
Where:
Pure Rubens exhibition at Boijmans, Rotterdam
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Why:
I received the invitation to opening of the exhibition of Rubens at Boijmans and I gave myself some food for thought. Is this not something too far back in time to my likings? So, time to analyse what I feel of Rubens. Famous for his art which includes them ladies with a bit more to love. WAIT, there I just connected with it all. Anno 2018 bodypositivity is a true thing and I cannot agree with that more. Any woman should feel comfortable in their own skin and there is no need for public comments and opinions on that. Rubens showed that to him it is not really the skinny ones who are attractivy and gives an ode to women in their purest form: bodypositivity was born.
Particularly these paintings got so famous and I smiled when at the opening the following was said: “Rembrandt painted the gods as humans, Rubens made humans like gods”. Isn’t that just saying it all?! In comparison to many other painters Rubens was ahead of his time by centuries! Maybe even ahead of us anno 2018 after all, we are not there where we should be.
About the specific painting I chose to show you here I can say the one thing that attracted me: modesty. Regardless that we feel that we should have to shame over however we look like, it does not need to showcased. The clothed goes over the nude and furthermore appears to be more in control. In particular the age of instagram does not always realize that modesty is an existing thing. No matter how much one loves the flesh, one still likes to keep some of that to theirselves. Which is a message that hopefully won’t disappear.
Also, do you want to know what more I have seen at the Boijmans?, click here.
