The History of Constantine the Great through the Eyes of a 17th century Baroque artist, Peter Paul Rubens

Peter Paul Rubens, The Marriage of Constantine and Fausta, 
The History of Constantine the Great tapestry series, 1623-25 (Philadelphia Museum of Art) Photo: Philadelphia Museum of Art Website

Constantine the Great, the Roman emperor who is celebrated as the first Christian emperor has been a source of inspiration and fascination for more than sixteen centuries. As a remarkable figure who changed the course of history, Constantine embodies a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Personally, I feel a certain kinship with the man who founded my beloved city, Constantinople, Istanbul. There is a new exhibition, Rome, Emperor Constantine's Dream, Art Treasures from the Eternal City, that opened at De Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam today, which reminded me of a set of 17th century tapestries, The History of Constantine the Great, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Peter Paul Rubens, The Triumph of Constantine over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, The History of Constantine the Great tapestry series, 1623-25  (Philadelphia Museum of Art)    Photo: Philadelphia Museum of Art Website

The vast Roman Empire had become a tetrarchy by 293, ruled by two senior emperors titled Augustus and two minor emperor titled Caesar, a system that came to an end following Civil Wars between the co-emperors from 306 -324.   Constantine's victory over his co-emperor and brother-in-law, Maxentius, at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 is considered to be the precursor to the end of the tetrarchy and Constantine as the sole emperor of the Roman Empire.

Slow Art Day at the Met

Mosaic of Zeus and Ganymede, Roman, mid-Imperial, 2nd century A.D.
On loan from a private collection, Belgium
(Metropolitan Museum of Art)

My favorite pastime activity of all time is to visit art museums which is a habit I am lucky enough to indulge in regularly. Living in close proximity to New York City has provided me with the most fortuitous of opportunities, periodic visits to the Metropolitan Museum in New York, that Holy of Holies of the art world. This past week I dropped in to take a stroll and visit some of my favorite spots within this shrine to all that is relevant and beautiful in the world.  It turns out they have done a bit of redecorating and there were many surprises to be had at many a turn. Although there were many thrilling encounters, I am not going to go into all that I came into contact with but a single work of art. A Roman floor mosaic from the 2nd century A.D. thought to be from the environs of Antioch.