1612, Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel the Elder, The Return from War: Mars Disarmed by Venus -- Getty Museum (Los Angeles)
From the museum label: secluded corner of Vulcan's forge, Venus disarms her lover Mars, the god of war, with the playful help of her cupids. Love's victory over Strife was understood in this period as an allegory of peace, and the subject may reflect contemporary hopes for concord following the signing of the Twelve-Year Truce that ended the decades-long conflict in the Netherlands. The harmonious combination of reflective armor and creamy flesh resulted from the collaboration of Brueghel, who painted the setting and armaments, and Rubens, who painted the figures.
1612, Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel the Elder, The Return from War: Mars Disarmed by Venus -- Getty Museum (Los Angeles)
From the museum label: secluded corner of Vulcan's forge, Venus disarms her lover Mars, the god of war, with the playful help of her cupids. Love's victory over Strife was understood in this period as an allegory of peace, and the subject may reflect contemporary hopes for concord following the signing of the Twelve-Year Truce that ended the decades-long conflict in the Netherlands. The harmonious combination of reflective armor and creamy flesh resulted from the collaboration of Brueghel, who painted the setting and armaments, and Rubens, who painted the figures.