Rinaldo and Armida

Sir Anthony Van Dyck Date: 1629 Medium: Oil on canvas Size: Width: 90" Height: 93" 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. The Jacob Epstein Collection BMA 1951.103