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Rubens - The Four Continents
Identifier
010590
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
There is no greatly elaborated symbolism in this painting, but it portrays well the idea within all spiritually based thought of the union of masculine and feminine even at the level of the highest Intelligences.
The entire spiritual world is based on a combination of the masculine and feminine equally balanced and Rubens portrays this well, no figure is dominant, the feminine aspect is 'white' [with the exception of the African continent, where he has had to abandon the symbolism] and the masculine 'black' or at least darker side