A portrait of Helene Fourment

Peter Paul Rubens, Het Pelzken, 1638

In Het Pelzken Peter Paul Rubens painted his second wife Helene Fourment. When he married the 16 year old Helene, he was already 53. The painter then retired from his unstalbe life on courts to be able to fully enjoy the delights of his late marriage. To him, Helene was not only his beloved wife and mother of his children, but also a muse and model. She sat for her husband many times and gave her face to women in his paintings, like i.e. Nymphs, mythological persons or antique goddesses. By this, Helene inspired what is nowadays known as a typical woman by Rubens: a corpulent flemish blonde with rosy, soft skin. The elaboration of the skin is essential in Rubens œuvre. It emanates warmth, softness, brightness and seems tangible.

Skin and nakedness is also an important topic in Het Pelzken. Here, Helene is portrayed as herself. It is important for the understanding of Het Pelzken, that it was not intended to be accessible to public. The painting remained in Rubens house and he bequeathed it to his wife. Helene posing naked should not be read as a provocation. The spectator gains insight of the couples intimate life.

In front of a background of dark brown and red, the focus is on Helenes bright and soft body. She has a queenly attitude which is underlined by the heavy fur she is wrapped in. The erotic scene between the model and the painter is determined by Helenes intense and promising gaze. Her look creates the atmosphere of a private conversation. The spectator has insight in the way both look at each other, meaning as well the situation that is shown here as the relation between them.

The private character of the painting is again underlined by the title „little fur“ which is probably a kind of nickname for an erotic situation between Rubens and Helene.

The detailled tones and the softness of the skin was quite hard for me to catch (Especially because I could only use shades of grey). I was astonished how perfectly Rubens elaborated every shadow on Helenes body. Unfortunately, this aspect is not very intense on my drawing, Helenes skin seems too clean. But at least I‘m content with her look.