Battle of the Amazons Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)

Description of Peter Rubens’ painting Battle of the Amazons

The painting was painted by Rubens in 1618.

So who are the Amazons? They are a tribe of women we know from the mythology of antiquity. They were constantly hunting and fighting. Their main armament was a spear, an axe and a bow, as well as a shield. Most often, Amazons were depicted on horseback.

If an artist wants to reproduce movement, the battle is most advantageous. In Rubens’ painting, we see the battle of the Amazons, which is in full swing. How does the artist manage to convey the swiftness of movement? He is trying to influence the viewer’s imagination as much as possible.

Before Rubens, women were often portrayed as weak and completely defenseless creatures. If they appear to us in the heat of battle, they did not cease to be women, and the whole battle was as if for fun.

The most representative genre of painting is the battle. It was in battle that the artist could express himself to the fullest extent. In the battle human emotions reached their limit. Figures of fighting people could be depicted in the most diverse poses. What is so attractive about the battle? It is dynamic, filled with unbridled energy.

Rubens’ painting shows the Amazons in the heat of battle. Why were these ancient warriors so attractive to painters? They were very unusual and beautiful at the same time. Many of the images from antiquity were about the Amazons fighting the Greeks. But mostly it was shown how the Greeks were overpowering these female warriors. The most obvious thing was that this fight was nevertheless on an equal footing.

Rubens depicted this battle quite differently. On his canvas we do not see a battle of equals. Rather, it resembles a real massacre. The traditional battle scene has a new impetus. Rubens’ representations of women, even though they are armed with swords, remain quite vulnerable. They are victims of war and completely defenseless.