Saint Cecilia playing the organ with two putti at right
Medium
Etching; second state of two
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 5 7/8 × 5 9/16 in. (14.9 × 14.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.7176
Tags
Art Historical Context
This etching from around 1631 captures Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music, seated at an organ while two playful putti look on. Created in the Baroque era, the image reflects the period’s emphasis on dramatic religious devotion and sensory richness. Peter Paul Rubens, whose design likely inspired the print, was a leading Flemish master known for his dynamic compositions and lush figures, and this work carries forward that expressive spirit through the collaborative efforts of etcher Willem Panneels and publisher Frans van den Wyngaerde. As a print in its second state, the work demonstrat...
About the Artist
Peter Paul Rubens|Willem Panneels|Frans van den Wyngaerde · 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 ...