Does our whole view of England come from Rubens?
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.England's assumed supremacy in landscape painting will be challenged by a new exhibition of Rubens, Neil McGregor, director of the National Gallery, said yesterday, David Lister writes.
"The whole view of England comes out of Rubens's view of Flanders' landscape," he said. "What we think of as a highly English genre was in fact international.
"Rubens's painting of his country house, Het Steen, set in the Flanders countryside (above), was one of two paintings by Rubens which inspired Constable's The Hay-Wain. The similarities are enormous," he added. Last night, the Flemish Minister of Culture, who was enraptured by the exhibition, presented the National Gallery with pounds 100,000 to devote one of its soon- to-be refurbished rooms to Flemish art - an unprecedented event for the London gallery.
Rubens's Landscapes is part of the series, Making and Meaning, sponsored by Esso at the National Gallery's Sainsbury Wing, until 19 January 1997.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments