Sir Anthony van Dyck
Rinaldo and Armida
1628
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Sir Anthony van Dyck
Rinaldo and Armida
1628
Physical Qualities
Oil on canvas, 93 x 90 in. (235.3 x 228.7 cm.)
Credit Line
The Jacob Epstein Collection
Object Number
1951.103
Jacob Epstein’s 1927 purchase of this celebrated work, which was commissioned by Charles I of England, was considered so significant that it was featured in a front-page story in The New York Times (February 1, 1927). Following the death of the king, the painting was sold from the Royal Collection and remained in the collection of the Dukes of Newcastle until 1913 when a public subscription was launched in Britain in an effort to retain this “national treasure” for London’s National Gallery.
The episode represented is taken from the famous Christian epic poem Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso, written in 1580. Armida, an enchantress, is ordered by the forces of evil to assist in the destruction of the Crusaders. She lures Rinaldo, the most gallant hero of the Christian army, into her realm. Intending to kill him in his slumber, Armida gazes at the dreaming knight, and her hatred turns to passionate love. They eventually cease to be foes, assure each other of their love, and work together for the Christian cause.
Publication References
W. H. Carpenter, 'Pictorial Notices: consisting of a Memoir of Sir Anthony Van Dyck, etc., London, 1844, pp. 24-25.
Waagen, 'Art Treasures in Great Britain,' 1857, vol. 4, p. 511.
Waagen, 'Walk Through the Art Treasures Exhibition at Manchester,' 1857, p. 26.
W. Burger, 'Tresors d'Art exposes a Manchester en 1857,' Paris, 1857, p. 121.
'A handbook to the Paintings by Ancient Masters in the Art Treasures Exhibition, being a reprint of critical notices originally published in the Manchester Guardian,' 1857, p. 59.
Jules Guiffrey, trans. William Alison, 'Antoine Van Dyck, sa Vie et Son Oeuvre,' London, 1896, pp. 156, 173-175, no. 265, p. 276.
Champlin and Perkins, 'Cyclopedia of Painters and Painting,' New York and London, 1888, vol. 4, p. 47.
Claude Phillips, 'The Picture Gallery of Charles I,' 1896, p. 121.
Lionel Cust, 'Anthony Van Dyck,' London, 1900, pp. 70, 85, 89, 112, 251, no. 94, ill. p. 84.
E. Schaeffer, 'Van Dyck, Klassiker der Kunst,' Stuttgart and Leipzig, 1909, p. 117.
Lionel Cust, 'Anthony Van Dyck, A Further Study,' (The Arundel Library of Great Masters), New York and London, 1911, p. 5.
'Baltimore Museum of Art News Record,' vol. 2:4-5, April-May 1929, p. 3.
Gustav Gluck, 'Van Dyck, Des Meisters Gemalde (Klassiker der Kunst), New York, 1931, p. 23, 40, ill. 265, p. 548, no. 265.
'Life Magazine,' April 11, 1938, p. repr.
Baltimore Museum of Art. A Century of Baltimore Collecting, 1840-1949: An Exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art, June 6 – September 1, 1941. Baltimore, MD, 1941, page 72.
'The Jacob Epstein Collection in The Baltimore Museum of Art,' 1939, pp. 6-7, ill.
Gertrude Rosenthal, The Van Dyck of the Epstein Collection, 'Baltimore Museum of Art News,' March 1946, pp. 3-7, ill.
Leo van Puyvelde, 'Van Dyck,' Brussels, 1950, p. 94.
'The Sunday Sun,', Aug. 15, 1954, Mag. (Brown) Sec., reprod.
Baltimore Museum of Art, 'A Picture Book,' 1955, ill. p. 24.
Gertrude Rosenthal, A New Look at the Jacob Epstein Collection, Baltimore Museum of Art 'News,' Fall 1959, pp. 2-3.
Russell J. Quandt, Restoring Van Dyck's Masterwork Rinaldo and Armida,' Baltimore Museum of Art 'News,' Fall 1959, pp. 5-8, ill.
Object of the Week, 'The Sunday Sun,' Oct. 25, 1959, Mag. (Brown) Sec., ill.
Eloise Spaeth, 'American Art Museums and Galleries,' New York: Harper & Bros., 1960, p. 48.
Object of the Week, 'The Sunday Sun,' Nov. 5, 1961, Mag. Sec. ill.
Herbert and Marjorie Katz, 'Museums, USA,' New York: Doubleday & Co., 1965, p. 30, ill.
K. R. Greenfield, The Museum: Its First Half Century, 'Annual I,' Baltimore Museum of Art, 1966, p. 14 ill.
A. Werner, Up and Down Mad Avenue, 'Arts Magazine,' 41:3, January 1967, p. 8. BMA 'News,' Vol. XXIX, No. 1-2, 1967, p. 11 repr. during cleaning.
Erwin O. Christensen, 'A Guide to Art Museums in the U.S.,' New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1968, pp. 112-113, ill.
Shirley Matthews and Eric Van Schaack, The Music in Van Dyck's 'Rinaldo and Armida', 'Annual III: Studies in Honor of Gertrude Rosenthal Part One,' Baltimore Museum of Art, 1968, pp. 9-15, ill.
Carleton Jones, Art in Maryland: A Summary of Treasures, The Sun Magazine, 'The Sunday Sun,' February 27, 1977, pp. 12-13, 15-18, ill. cover.
William Gaunt, 'Court Painting in England,' London: Constable & Co., 1980, p. 92. Erik Larsen, 'L'Opera Completa di Van Dyck,' Milan: Rizzoli Editore, 1980, pl. XI.
Clive Gregory, ed., 'The Great Artists: Their Lives, Works and Inspiration: Van Dyck,' London: Marshall Cavendish Ltd., 1986.
Erik Larsen, 'The Paintings of Anthony Van Dyck,' 1988, Luca Verlag Freren, Cat. 740, p. 294, plate 254.
Frances Copeland Stickles, 'A Crown for Henrietta Maria, Maryland's Namesake Queen,' Maryland Historical Press, 1988 Lanham, MD p. 37 ill.
Diamond of the Month, The Baltimore Museum of Art, January 1989.
Linda Andre, lesson, 'Art Education, vol. 42, no. 6, p. 31, ill. p.32, November 1989.
David Howarth, Exhibition Reviews-Van Dyck Triumphant in Washington, 'Apollo,' Jan. 1991, p. 28, ill. p. 28.
Mark Stevens, 'Master of the Grand Manner,' New York: Art News, February 1991, pp. 108-113, ill. p. 111.
'The Burlington Magazine,' February 1991, p. 142.
Susan Baer, J. Carter Brown: A Life in Art, Baltimore: 'The Sun,' March 17, 1991, p. 1 and 4H.
H. W. Janson, 'History of Art,' New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1995, ill. p. 574, no. 782. Christopher Brown, 'Dutch and Flemish Old Master Paintings,' London: Johnny Van Haeften, 1999, no. 13 ill. (within another painting).
Emilie E.S. Gordenker, 'Van Dyck and the Representation of Dress in Seventeenth-Century Portraiture,' Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols, 2001, fig. 85 (detail), p. 246.
BMA, 'BMA News', 'A Grand Legacy: The Story Behind Rinaldo and Armida,' January-February 2003, p.6, ill.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, BMA Today, January - February 2004, p.8, ill.
Susan J. Barnes, 'Van Dyck: A Complete Catalogue of the Paintings.' New Haven: Yale University, 2004, ill.
Ann Sutherland Harris, 'Seventeenth-Century Art and Architecture.' London: Laurence King Publishing, 2005, p. 181, ill.
Frits Scholten, "L'Amour Mençant or Menacing Love," Amsterdam: Waanders Publishers, 2006, p. 35, ill.
'Valentine's Day @ The BMA,' "BMA Today," Winter 2008-2009, p. 16, ill.
Hearn, Karen, ed., "Van Dyck & Britain," London: Tate Publishing, 2009, pp. 36-7.
'Surprise your Sweetheart,' "BMA Today," Winter-Spring 2010, p. 17, ill. [detail]
Brenda Machosky, ed., "Thinking Allegory Otherwise," Standford, California: Stanford University Press, 2010, p. 201, b&w ill.
Robert Neuman, "Baroque and Rococo Art and Architecture", Boston: Pearson, p. 251.
"Gerährliche Liebschaften, Die Kunst des Französischen Rokoko," Germany, ill.
Baltimore Museum of Art. The Baltimore Museum of Art: Celebrating a Museum. Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 2014.
Bückling, Maraike, ed. Gefährliche Liebschaften: Die Kunst Des Französischen Rokoko. Frankfurt am Main: Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung; München: Hirmer Verlag, 2015.
Mileo, Antonio. L'Eroe Fuori Luogo: La struttura dello spazio nella Gerusalemme liberata. Naples: Paolo Loffredo, 2020.
The Baltimore Museum of Art on deposit; The Baltimore Museum of Art on extended loan, 1929-1951; the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, by bequest, 1945; Jacob Epstein, by purchase from M. Knoedler & Co., New York; 1927; Dukes of Newcastle, prior to 1913; King Charles I
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Shilpa Prasad's written synopsis of the BMA/JHU Gallery Lecture on "Rinaldo and Armida," presented in the Old Masters Gallery of The Baltimore Museum of Art, February 28 and March 6, 1999.
Inscribed: Labels (removed): 'Royal Academy Winter Exhibition, 1900'/title Rinaldo and Armida/owned by Duke of Newcastle, Clumber, Norfolk; 'Grosvenor Gallery/Van Dyck Exhibition, 1886-1887/Title of picture Armida and the/Sleeping Rinaldo/Name of Owner Duke of Newcastle/Address Clumber, Norfolk/No. 19.