DISCOVERART

Peter Paul Rubens

The Feast of Herod (recto); Tomyris with the Head of Cyrus (verso)

c. 1637–38
pen and brown ink, with black and red chalk, touched with white gouache

SEE IT IN PERSON

Not currently on view

In the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland · as of July 2026

View at clevelandart.org ↗Plan a visit ↗

Discussion

FROM THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART’S CATALOG

The two stories that Rubens depicted on the front and back of this sheet of paper each feature a gruesome death, the result of revenge at the hands of a powerful woman.

Source ↗

Be the first to share your thoughts.

Sign in to join the discussion.

Community guidelines

More by Peter Paul Rubens

A Forest at Dawn with a Deer HuntA Forest at Dawn with a Deer HuntPortrait of Isabella BrantPortrait of Isabella BrantThe Triumph of the ChurchThe Triumph of the ChurchThe Holy Family with Saints Elizabeth and John the BaptistThe Holy Family with Saints Elizabeth and John the BaptistPortrait of a Woman, Probably Susanna Lunden (Susanna Fourment, 1599–1628)Portrait of a Woman, Probably Susanna Lunden (Susanna FourmeAtalanta and MeleagerAtalanta and MeleagerDiana and Her Nymphs Departing for the HuntDiana and Her Nymphs Departing for the HuntThe Holy Family with Saints Francis and Anne and the Infant Saint John the BaptistThe Holy Family with Saints Francis and Anne and the Infant

More like this

An Old Man Seated at a Table, His Head Resting on His Right Hand (recto); The Healing of Tobit (verso)Ferdinand Bol (Dutch, 1616–1680) — An Old Man Seated at a TaLot and His Daughters (recto); Sketch for Lot and His Daughters (verso)Pietro da Cortona (Italian, 1596–1669) — Lot and His DaughteHead of a Screaming Man (recto); Woman and Man Playing Cards (verso)Benjamin West (American, 1738–1820) — Head of a Screaming MaThree Half-Length FiguresPieter Jansz. — Three Half-Length FiguresThe Supper at EmmausFollower of Rembrandt van Rijn — The Supper at EmmausStudies of Hands (recto); Sketch of a Child's Head (verso)Carletto Caliari (Italian, 1570–1596) — Studies of Hands (reThe Transfiguration (recto); Study of Hands (verso)Camillo Procaccini (Italian, 1546–1629) — The TransfiguratioGroup of Six Children (recto); Sketch of a Village (verso)Group of Six Children (recto); Sketch of a Village (verso)Jacob and Laban with Rachel and Leah (recto); Sketch of Two Men and Other Various Figures (verso)Jacob and Laban with Rachel and Leah (recto); Sketch of Two Sheet of Studies of HeadsAnthony van Dyck — Sheet of Studies of HeadsTwo Sketches: Nude Child, Woman Reaching Toward Man with LambGiovanni Battista Cipriani — Two Sketches: Nude Child, WomanRuth and Boaz (recto) The Fall of Simon Magus (verso)Ruth and Boaz (recto) The Fall of Simon Magus (verso)