Lot Essay
THE ORIGINAL IS IN THE LOUVRE (R. FORSYTH MILLEN & R.E. WOLF, HEROIC DEEDS AND MYSTIC FIGURES, A NEW READING OF RUBENS' LIFE OF MARIA DE' MEDICI, 1989, PP.220/3, PLATE 70). IT WAS COMMISSIONED IN 1622 BY MARIA DE' MEDICI AS A PART OF THE DECORATIVE SCHEME FOR THE PALAIS DU LUXEMBOURG. RUBENS' EXTENSIVE SCHEME ADORNED THE WALLS OF THE MEDICI GALLERY, WHICH WAS OPENED IN 1625 ON THE OCCASION OF THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA'S DAUGHTER HENRIETTA MARIA TO CHARLES I, KING OF ENGLAND. IN 1802 THE MEDICI CYCLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE LOUVRE.