Leo Martínez
Flemish artist Sir Peter Paul Rubens painted the ceiling of the Banqueting House in England. The Banqueting House is the only remaining complete building of Whitehall Palace, the sovereign's principal residence from 1530 until 1698 when it was destroyed by fire. Rubens' ceiling is the only surviving in-situ ceiling painting by the artist. The three main canvasses depict The Union of the Crowns, The Apotheosis of James I, and The Peaceful Reign of James I.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Sir Peter Paul Rubens |
| Location | Banqueting House, London, England |
| Building | The only remaining complete building of Whitehall Palace, the sovereign's principal residence from 1530 until 1698 when it was destroyed by fire |
| Commission | Commissioned by Charles I to honour his father, James I, and glorify the divine right of kings |
| Theme | The three segments depict The Union of the Crowns, The Apotheosis of James I, and The Peaceful Reign of James I |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Installation | The canvases were installed in the hall in 1636 |
| Size | Two canvases measure 28 x 20ft (approximately 9 x 6m) and two others measure 40 x 10ft (approximately 13 x 3m) |
| Payment | £3,000 (the equivalent of £218,000 today) and a heavy gold chain |
| Conservation | Conserved in 2018 |
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What You'll Learn
The ceiling painting was a tribute to James I
The ceiling painting by Sir Peter Paul Rubens in the Banqueting House, a part of the Whitehall Palace complex of buildings in London, was indeed a tribute to James I. The Banqueting House is the only surviving in-situ ceiling painting by the Flemish artist. Rubens was commissioned by Charles I to honour his father, James I, and glorify the divine right of kings. The three segments of the painting depict The Union of the Crowns, The Apotheosis of James I, and The Peaceful Reign of James I.
The canvases were installed in the hall in 1636, though Rubens had initially been approached by James I about the project before his death in 1625. The project was then commissioned by Charles I in 1629-30. Rubens worked on the mural in his Antwerp studio, creating enormous murals that were later sent to London. The architect Inigo Jones had designed the building's beamed ceiling to serve as a custom frame for the murals. However, when the artwork arrived, there was a mix-up with the measurements due to differing standards for the length of a foot in England and Belgium.
The ceiling painting was one of the last things Charles I saw before his execution on a scaffold outside the Banqueting Hall in 1649. Rubens never saw his works installed in the Banqueting House due to gout, which prevented him from travelling to England. He wrote to a friend, "In as much as I have a horror of courts, I sent my work to England in the hands of someone else."
The Rubens ceiling is a masterpiece and the largest surviving work by the Flemish artist still in its original location in Europe. The painting remains a testament to the glory of the Stuart monarchs and the reign of James I.
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Rubens never saw his work in the Banqueting House
Flemish artist Sir Peter Paul Rubens painted the ceiling of the Banqueting House in England. The Banqueting House is the only surviving structure of the old Whitehall Palace, the principal residence of the sovereign from 1530 until 1698 when it was destroyed by fire. Rubens' ceiling painting is the only surviving in-situ ceiling painting by the artist.
The ceiling was commissioned by Charles I in 1629-30 to celebrate the life and reign of his father, James I, and glorify the divine right of kings. Rubens had originally been approached about the project by James I before he died in 1625. The painting was installed in 1636.
The canvases were too large to be painted in Rubens' studio in Antwerp, so he worked on them in the Antwerp Exchange and the refectory of a nearby Carmelite convent. Rubens suffered from painful gout, which prevented him from travelling to England to see his paintings installed. In a letter to a friend, he wrote, "In as much as I have a horror of courts, I sent my work to England in the hands of someone else."
When the canvases arrived in England, it was discovered that they were the wrong size to fit the ceiling. This miscalculation occurred because, although both England and Belgium used feet and inches, these measurements were of different lengths in each country. Drastic modifications had to be made on-site to make the paintings fit.
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The painting glorifies the monarchy
The ceiling of the Banqueting House in Whitehall Palace, London, is adorned with a painting by Flemish artist Sir Peter Paul Rubens. The painting, which glorifies the monarchy, was commissioned by Charles I to honour his father, James I, and glorify the divine right of kings. Rubens was initially approached by James I about the project before the king died in 1625.
The painting is a masterpiece and the only surviving in-situ ceiling painting by the artist. It is also the largest surviving work by Rubens still in its original location in Europe. The three main canvases depict The Union of the Crowns, The Apotheosis of James I, and The Peaceful Reign of James I. The ceiling was probably commissioned by Charles I in 1629-30 and installed in the hall in 1636.
The Banqueting House is the only remaining complete building of Whitehall Palace, the sovereign's principal residence from 1530 until 1698 when it was destroyed by fire. Rubens' painting adorns the ceiling of the Banqueting House's Great Hall, which was designed by Inigo Jones. Jones designed the hall's beamed ceiling with blank squares, rectangles, and ovals to serve as a custom frame for Rubens' enormous murals.
When the canvases arrived in England, Jones and Rubens' assistants realised that a miscalculation had been made, and the paintings were too big to fit the ceiling spaces. This mix-up occurred because, although both England and Belgium used feet and inches, these measurements were of different lengths in each country. After trimming some and expanding others, the paintings were finally installed, and Charles I declared himself delighted.
The ceiling painting glorifying the monarchy was one of Charles I's last sights before his execution on a scaffold outside the Banqueting House in 1649.
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The painting was one of the last things Charles I saw before his execution
Peter Paul Rubens was a Flemish painter and is regarded as one of the greatest painters of the 17th-century Baroque period. He is known for his inventive and dynamic paintings of religious and mythological subjects, as well as portraits and landscapes. Rubens was awarded an honorary master of arts degree from the University of Cambridge.
In England, Rubens painted the ceiling of the Banqueting House in Whitehall Palace, London. The Banqueting House is the only surviving in-situ ceiling painting by Rubens and the largest surviving work by the artist still in its original location in Europe. The ceiling was commissioned by King Charles I in 1629-30 and installed in 1636. It was one of the last things King Charles I saw before his execution on a scaffold outside the Banqueting House in 1649.
The ceiling painting celebrates the divine right of kings and depicts Charles' father, James I, ascending to heaven in a cloud of glory, surrounded by angels. This subject matter, glorifying the monarchy, must have been a bitter reflection for Charles as he faced his death.
The execution of Charles I was a significant and controversial event in English history. Charles was publicly executed outside the Banqueting House, where a large crowd had gathered. He gave a final speech declaring his innocence and claiming himself a "martyr of the people". Charles's companion, Bishop William Juxon, recorded the speech in shorthand. Charles then stretched out his hand and was beheaded by an anonymous executioner.
The execution was the culmination of political and military conflicts between the Royalists and Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. Charles was convicted of treason and attempting to "uphold in himself an unlimited and tyrannical power to rule according to his will, and to overthrow the rights and liberties of the people".
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Rubens was paid £3,000 and a heavy gold chain for his work
Flemish artist Sir Peter Paul Rubens was commissioned by King Charles I to paint the ceiling of the royal Banqueting House in London, the only remaining complete building of Whitehall Palace. Rubens was paid £3,000 (the equivalent of £218,000 today) and a heavy gold chain for his work.
The Banqueting House was designed by Inigo Jones as part of the Whitehall Palace complex of buildings. Rubens' ceiling painting was commissioned to celebrate the magnificent reign of the Stuart king. The painting depicts the Divine Right of Kings, showing Charles' father, James I, ascending to heaven surrounded by angels.
The subject of the painting was discussed with King James I before his death in 1625, and the work was commissioned by Charles I in 1629-30. Rubens was awarded the commission after successfully negotiating a peace treaty between England and Spain in 1630. The canvases were installed in the hall in 1636.
The painting is composed of three main canvases, which are large in scale. Individually, two of them measure 28 x 20ft (approximately 9 x 6m) and two others measure 40 x 10ft (approximately 13 x 3m). When the canvases first arrived in England, it was discovered that they were the wrong size to fit the ceiling spaces. This miscalculation occurred because, although both England and Belgium used feet and inches, these measurements were of different lengths in each country. The paintings were trimmed and expanded, and finally installed.
Due to his painful gout, Rubens never saw his paintings installed in the Banqueting House. He wrote to a friend, "In as much as I have a horror of courts, I sent my work to England in the hands of someone else." The ceiling painting was one of King Charles I's last sights before his execution on a scaffold outside the Banqueting Hall in 1649.
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Frequently asked questions
The Banqueting House.
The Banqueting House was part of the great Whitehall Palace in London.
The three segments of the ceiling depict The Union of the Crowns, The Apotheosis of James I, and The Peaceful Reign of James I.
The paintings were commissioned by Charles I to honour his father, James I, and glorify the divine right of kings.
No, Rubens never saw his works installed. He wrote to a friend, "In as much as I have a horror of courts, I sent my work to England in the hands of someone else."
