The significant difference between the appearance of The Wilton Diptych and Peace and War by Rubens is the scale of these paintings are opposites. The diptych is a small four-sided altarpiece as its function was to be portable. On the inside of the Diptych; Saint Edmund is depicted in a rich colourful robe and crown holding an arrow, Saint Edward the Confessor in white robes, a crown, holding a ring and Saint John the Baptist in brown rags, a halo and holding a lamb. Richard is depicted kneeling wearing a red embellished cloak with the stag and broom pods, a crown and a necklace. He is depicted young with pale skin and idealised golden hair; facing Mary. On the right is the Virgin Mary who is depicted in a dark blue drapery holding Christ with a halo. Christ is depicted nude but wrapped in a golden shawl with a decorative halo of thorns. Eleven angels surrounding them wearing blue robes, rose chaplets with golden ringlets and white hart badges and broom pods. On the left-hand side, one of the angles holds the flag of George with an orb which depicts a tiny island with a white tower and a white ship symbolising England.
Rubens’ is a large allegory painting depicting life-size mythological figures, Venus is shown squirting milk from her breast into the mouth of a child. Above, Minerva the goddess of wisdom presented as a soldier holding up a large shield to ward off Mars the god of War and Allecto the fury of war. Above is a putto holding an olive wreath and a caduceus. Two nymphs’ approach from the left; one holds a basket- full of jewels and cups and the other dances to a tambourine. Below there is a satyr who holds up fruit for the children and Cupid who leads the children to a cornucopia. Below the satyr is a leopard playing with the fruit-vine. To the left of the children Hymen the god of marriage, places a wreath upon the head of a girl.
The next major difference is the composition and space. For instance, Rubens’ composition is balanced and busy. He leads our eyes around the painting with his use of horizontal composition from left to right adding more drama and space amongst the figures; creating depth. Conversely, the Wilton Diptych is unbalanced and very busy. Our eye is drawn left to right through the Saints, Richard to Mary and Child and the angels.
The materials used in this altarpiece are very rich pigments such as ultramarine, lead white and lots of gold leaf on wood panels; because of the rich pigments, the colour are vivid and bright. Similarly, the colour palette used in Peace and War include rich sumptuous colours such as rich reds, browns, golds, and greens to create the various textures and fabrics and to define emotions. Rubens' choice of colours results in a harmonious image that is a feast for the eyes.
Rubens’ allegory painting depicts the subject matter for an antiwar painting is a visual plea for peace between England and Spain from Philip IV. The Wilton Diptych was commission by Richard II to be a ‘portable altarpiece which could be closed like a book and set up on the altars of different churches and chapels’ .
The subject matter depicts Saints, Virgin Mary and Child, angels and Richard himself. The painting is a ‘complex web allusion operating on both secular and religious level’. It portrays symbolic meaning through the figures and features such as Richard’s necklace, cloak and the flag. The white hart badge is a white stag sitting down on a bed of rosemary with a crown around its neck and a chain. The stag is an important symbol of King Richard and is shown his cloak and refers to his mother; Princess Joan’s emblem. Another patronage symbol of Richard’s was the ‘Broom’ pods; his 2nd wife’s family symbol. In 1396 Richard and Charles VI of France made an alliance and married Isabella of France; adopting his father-in-law’s symbol of the broom pod. Richard is depicted young, he was around 30-33-years-old when this was painted, this suggesting that Christ is blessing him and crowning him as King.
Similarly, Peace and War has symbolic messages such as, Venus is shown squirting milk from her breast into the mouth of Plutus. This shows that peaceful relations nurture prosperity amongst the people and that mankind can prosper socially and economically from peace. Next to Venus, Mars and Minerva represent Spain and England as they are both gods and very powerful; they should not be fighting each other and should be allies. Above Venus is a putto holding an olive wreath; which is a symbol of peace and the caduceus of Mercury who is the messenger of the gods. On the left are two nymphs’; one holds a basket full of jewels and cups which signify indulgence in good spirits and a reason to celebrate life, the other dances to a tambourine. Below the nymphs is a Satyr whom holds up fruit for the children and a winged cupid leads the children to a cornucopia. This symbols of the future of mankind, as they are the ones who will benefit from the peace. Below the satyr is a leopard which acts like a domestic cat playing with the vine; its wild nature is tamed by the events taking place. Finally, to the left of the children Hymen the god of marriage placing a wreath upon the head of a girl; which comes to represent the prospect of marriage and life and a worthwhile future.
Overall, Peace and War’s message to Charles about the peace between these two powerful countries and to choose peace rather than war as there will be plenty, money, happiness and safety. As well as entertaining Charles’ classical antiquity interest. Belkin says, ‘despite the glowing colours, the scrumptious imagery and sensuous female nudes, the picture is a political allegory rather than a guide to sex – its message is peace, not physical pleasures.’
The significant different between the appearance of the Wilton and Rubens are through composition and the narrative.
Rubens’ overall composition is balanced and busy, he leads our eyes around the painting. It tells a story which is interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning; political and moral. The young girl in the foreground staring out towards the viewer drawing us into the painting.
Conversely, in the Wilton Diptych’s narrative reads from left to right and portrays a message that Richard will ‘be transferred from the wasteland in which he kneels to the flowery meadow, having been redeemed by Christ’ Passion and Resurrection’.
The two paintings have a different medium; egg tempura on wood and oil on canvas.
Firstly, the Wilton Diptych is painted in egg tempura which was widely practiced in the fourteenth-century and was painted on oak panel. The materials used on ‘the painted surface was originally extremely rich’ leading to the King’s wealth and status. For example, ultramarine is a very expensive, high quality pigment. The pigment originally comes from a rock called lapis lazuli which is from Afghanistan, so the pigment was rare.
The overall colour palette is very vivid and bright which classical international gothic style. As well as the use of white lead widely used in this diptych for instance on Richard’s necklace ‘it has been thickly painted in raised layers of lead white to achieve a sculptural quality, creating the impression of a jewel’. However gold leaf is the most widespread material used on this painting, the gold backgrounds are applied after the layer of bole. The artist stippled all of the gold leaf with different elegant patterns. On the left is a floral pattern, while on the right is a foliate pattern and the halos. Christ’s halo has been finely stippled and the artist ‘created a crown of thorn and three nails’ prefiguring his Crucifixion. The overall techniques are a combination of northern and Italian methods, Gordon describes the artist ‘as truly European due to his techniques and methods’.
Compared to the Wilton Diptych’s fourteenth-century style; Rubens’ material, style and colour palette is dissimilar because Rubens’ was a seventeenth-century Flemish painter who loved the renaissance tradition. The figures in this painting are classical renaissance with the idealised body proportions. Rubens’ is famous for his human body form; the women are beautifully pale and beautiful with small breast and wide child bearing hips. Whilst the men are portrayed with muscular bodies, arms and torsos, such as the satyr’s body.
This is a big painting full of large energetic figures drawn by Rubens with playful quick brush-strokes. Allecto is depicted as ugly and in a rough quick brushstroke, fading into Mars and the background thus giving a deeper and more dramatic result.
The artist has adopted a new technique by using a bold abundant colour palette; defining the depth, volume and natural flow.
In conclusion the paintings are significantly different; Peace and War was ‘a gift to Charles I, it rounded off the artists’s political activity in England’ unlike the Wilton Diptych where ‘it was intended for private religious devotion’.
Bibliography
Helmer,Matthew, 14th Century Art: Overview & Themes, https://study.com/academy/lesson/14th-century-art-overview-lesson.html
Gordon, Dillian. The Wilton Diptych. London: National Gallery, 1993.
Belkin, Kristin Lohse, Rubens. London: Phaidon Press Limited, 1998.
Hughes, Anthony, "Naming the Unnameable: An Iconographical Problem in Rubens’s ‘Peace and War’”, The Burlington Magazine, 121:924, (1980).
Downes, Kerry, “Rubens’s ‘Peace and War’ at the National Gallery,” The Burlington Magazine, 121:915, (1997).