To apostle (Johannes og Paulus (eller Simon)) 1614 - 1617

Editor: So, here we have "To apostle," which might also be "Johannes og Paulus (eller Simon)," by Peter Paul Rubens, created between 1614 and 1617. It’s a drawing in pencil on paper, currently at the SMK in Copenhagen. It feels almost…unfinished, like a sketch of something monumental. What catches your eye when you look at this, Professor? Curator: Ah, Rubens. He captures figures with such dynamism, doesn't he? Even in a seemingly preliminary sketch. For me, it’s the interplay of light and shadow. See how he uses those dramatic contrasts to convey both weight and movement? He’s really thinking sculpturally. Do you notice how the drapery seems to cling to their forms, revealing and concealing at the same time? What kind of impression do the figures leave on you? Editor: They seem really burdened, or contemplative perhaps. Is this typical of his work? Curator: Indeed. It is part of the Baroque spirit – think theatrical emotion! Rubens was a master of conveying intense feelings, even in drawings. Also consider the purpose of such studies; likely preparations for a larger painting. You can sense the monumentality even in this intimate medium, can't you? That intense observation—the core of powerful imagery—makes one wonder what could these two apostles mean in our time. What do *we* carry on our shoulders, and how might it shape us? Editor: It's amazing to think this might have been just a step in creating a larger piece. I’ll never look at preparatory sketches the same way! Curator: Precisely! Every stroke holds a purpose. Perhaps Rubens might invite us all, viewer, artist, art, and student, to be unfinished works, and continue thinking and sketching our purpose of life every moment. What an adventure of thinking together it becomes, isn't it?