A woman at the bath, another woman washing her right foot and an old woman behind her holding her clothes

Art Historical Context

This enchanting engraving, titled *A Woman at the Bath, Another Woman Washing Right Foot and an Old Behind Her Holding Her Clothes captures a tender moment of female intimacy from 1716. Created by French engraver Louis Surug after an original composition by the Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens, measures a intimate 4 15/16 × 3 1/8 inches, perfect for collectors' albums. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it exemplifies how 18th-century printmakers popularized Rubens' vibrant works through precise reproductions. Rubens, a Flemish artist renowned for his exuberant Baroque style, often depicted voluptuous female nudes in dynamic, sensual poses inspired by classical antiquity and mythology. Here, the scene unfolds with graceful bathers—one seated as another tends her foot—evoking themes of vulnerability and care, while the older woman clutches garments, adding narrative depth. Engraving, a meticulous intaglio technique involving incised copper plates, allowed Surugue to convey Rubens' rich textures, soft flesh tones, and dramatic lighting with remarkable fidelity, making high art accessible beyond oil paintings. In the early 18th century, such prints fueled the rage for Rubens' sensual bathing scenes, bridging 17th-century Flemish opulence with French Rococo elegance. A gem from The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, it invites visitors to ponder the enduring allure of the female form in art history.

About the Artist

Peter Paul Rubens|Louis Surugue · 1577–1640

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) stands as the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition and the greatest exponent of Baroque painting's dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. Born in Siegen, Westphalia, and raised in Antwerp, Rubens received a humanist education studying Latin and classical literature before pursuing artistic training under three masters: Tobias Verhaecht, Adam ...