| This study addresses the important role of dedicated prints in the oeuvre of Peter Paul Rubens (1577--1640), demonstrating that the artist turned to reproductive engraving as a way to spread his fame and secure his future just at the time when the demand for paintings in the Southern Netherlands was declining. Rubens' introduction of a full-time engraver into his workshop, his petition for copyright privileges, and his dedication of prints to noteworthy figures who might advance his career are all indications of a calculated plan, the character and significance of which has been neither recognized nor investigated until now.; This study shows that Rubens was, in fact, engaged in vigorous self-promotion through a unique printmaking enterprise. In the period of the Twelve Years' Truce (1609--21), the market for Rubens' paintings was primarily in the Southern Netherlands; when the expiration of the armistice approached, he initiated a printmaking venture which set the stage for the promotion of his work on an international level. The critical timing of this endeavor has not been considered in light of the impending termination of the Twelve Years' Truce, nor has any attention been given to the timeliness and the character of the laudatory dedications found on these prints.; A close examination of the dedicatees reveals that by coupling reproductions of some of his greatest art with references to prominent individuals in the Southern Netherlands, the United Provinces, England, Spain, and Germany, Rubens invented a more elevated status for himself, one which might enhance his international fame while maintaining his reputation as the premiere painter in the Spanish Netherlands. Rubens cleverly marketed himself utilizing personal connections. Once he had secured a distinguished reputation in international circles, which resulted in his widespread fame of the 1620s, he abandoned the dedicated print. |
