Allegory of Peace
Jan Lievens·1652
Historical Context
Jan Lievens's Allegory of Peace from 1652, in the Rijksmuseum, was created during the period following the Treaty of Westphalia (1648) that ended the Eighty Years' War and established the Dutch Republic's international sovereignty. Lievens, who had been Rembrandt's close companion in their Leiden youth, pursued a more internationally oriented career, working in England, Antwerp, and The Hague. His allegorical works demonstrate a grand manner influenced by Van Dyck and Rubens, quite different from Rembrandt's more intimate approach.
Technical Analysis
The allegorical composition employs the grand, decorative manner Lievens developed during his years in Antwerp and England. The fluid brushwork, rich coloring, and monumental figure style reflect his synthesis of Rubensian grandeur with Dutch naturalistic observation.
