"The Tribute Money"
Circle of Peter Paul Rubens
(Siegen 1577 - Antwerp 1640)
Era 1620/40
Excellent condition
Antique relining from the early 1800s
Canvas size 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 for the tribute money to enter the Temple.
This tax should not be confused with the tribute to Caesar mentioned in the Gospel according to Luke, which concerns taxes in favor of Rome. ("Render unto God the things that are God's, and unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's.")
The tribute money was used for the maintenance of the Temple of Jerusalem and was paid by all male Jews from the age of twenty onwards.
At the request for the tribute, Jesus, while saying that he is the son of the God who is venerated in the Temple, asks Peter to pay the entrance fee with a silver coin. Peter does not possess silver coins and is therefore invited by his Master to fish a fish in the Sea of ??Tiberias. In its mouth he will find the coin. Peter obeys and the miracle occurs.
The episode is rich in meanings and analyzed in its details is open to different interpretations.
Returning to our work, the quality of the painting is evident, with the description of the faces executed in such detail 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 Master of Antwerp Peter Paul Rubens, probably one of his valid students and is inspired by the famous canvas: "The Tribute Money" whose most important version is exhibited at the Fine Art Museum of San Francisco.
Our small canvas, with great attention to the details of the characters and executed spontaneously in the outline, is certainly a small preparatory sketch for the execution of a large work.
In practice it constituted the preliminary project to be shown to the client to assess any changes before the final draft.
Rubens' workshop, in fact, notoriously very active, often reproduced this painting to satisfy the important commissions from all over Europe who requested it following its great success.
Certificate of authenticity and descriptive sheet. (FIMA)
Tracked shipping (DHL TRACKING) and fully insured with anti-shock packaging in a custom-made wooden box.
Delivery within 3 working days from receipt of payment
Negotiable price and customized payment
https://www.antichitaischia.it/it/prodotto/-il-tributo-della-moneta--
