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The Virgin sits with the Christ Child in the midst of grandiose classical architecture. She is surrounded by numerous saints in various positions. Above her, some angels prepare to crown her as Queen of Heaven. This work was sometimes thought to be a representation of The Mystical Betrothal of Saint Catherine, because of the strong presence of that saint, who is depicted kneeling before the Christ
Wearing a red tunic, blue robes and a crown of stars, the Virgin treads on a serpent carrying the apple of Sin, in keeping with the customary iconography for this Catholic image. By placing Mary over a globe, Rubens made one of his most striking images of the Immaculate Conception. The two angels carrying a palm and a laurel-leaf crown are a classic reference to Mary´s triumph. References to Class
Peter Paul Rubens, the Flemish Baroque artist, was also a humanist scholar, art collector, and diplomat. In 1628, Rubens went to Madrid to meet with Philip IV, King of Spain (1621-1665), as part of his efforts to negotiate a peace treaty between Spain and England, and during his stay the Flemish artist painted, among other subjects, portraits of the Spanish royal family. A patron of the arts, Phil
