Federazione Italiana Mercanti d'Arte

"Il Tributo della Moneta"

Cerchia di Peter Paul Rubens

"The Tax for the Temple"
Circle of Peter Paul Rubens
(Siegen 1577 - Antwerp 1640)
Period 1620/40
Very good condition
Ancient relining from the early 19th century
Canvas measures cm. 38 x 29

This splendid jewel, excellently painted, depicts an episode from the Gospel according to Matthew.
 The Pharisee tax collectors ask Jesus and Peter to pay the money in order to enter the Temple.
This tax should not be confused with the tax to Caesar referred to in the Gospel according to Luke and which concerns taxes in favor of Rome. ("Give to God what belongs to God and to Caesar what belongs to Caesar")
The tribute of the coin was used for the maintenance of the Temple of Jerusalem and was paid by all male Jews from the age of twenty.
At the request of the tribute, Jesus, while claiming to be the son of the God who is venerated in the Temple, asks Peter to pay the entrance with a silver coin. Peter has no silver coins and is therefore invited by his Master to catch a fish in the Sea of ​​Galilee. In his mouth he will find the coin. Peter obeys and the miracle is accomplished.
The episode is rich in meanings and analyzed in its details lends itself to different interpretations.
Returning to our work, the quality of the painting is evident, with the description of the faces performed in such a detailed manner as to capture all the characteristic and expressive details of the characters depicted.
The author of the painting is a particularly gifted artist from the circle of the great Antwerp Master Peter Paul Rubens, probably one of his most talented students and is inspired by one of his most famous canvases: "The Tribute of Money" whose most important version is exhibited at the Fine Art Museum in San Francisco.
Our small canvas, with great attention to the details of the characters and cast in the outline, is certainly a small preparatory sketch for the execution of a large work.
In fact, Rubens's workshop, notoriously very active, often reproduced this painting to satisfy the important clients from all over Europe who requested it following its great success.
Its conditions are very good.
The rewinding was carried out in the early 19th century
The colors have remained alive and unaltered.
The gilded and lacquered frame is not ancient.
Tributo Rubens Sold contact us
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