Grieving Germania

The duality of the represented situation is most clearly revealed in the figure of Germania. Above we see the exuberance of the presupposed victors of a battle yet to be won, below the blonde metaphor for the people of the Holy Roman Empire, the only figure in the painting to meet our gaze, with a tear in her eye.

Supported by a crown, shield and sword she, along with the nymph beside her, are a comment on the futility of the coming battle. Rubens’ second wife Helene Fourment serves as model for Germania.