Venus and Cupid

Rubens was the most outstanding of all Flemish painters, and a leading exponent of Baroque art. The Toilet of Venus is one of his copies of an original by Titian—now lost—which belonged to the Spanish royal collections. This provenance is supported by two significant details: the pearl bracelet and the ring on Venus' left little finger, both of which appeared in Titian's painting. An original version close to the one by Titian is now at the National Gallery of Washington, and there is another canvas by Rubens in the Liechtenstein Collection in Vaduz. The Flemish painter's subtlety of execution and superb mastery of colour are the most distinctive features of his style.