The Coronation of the Virtuous Hero

"The Crowning of the Virtuous Hero" is a magnificent painting by Peter Paul Rubens, created between 1613 and 1614. Commissioned by the St. George Guild of Archers in Antwerp for their banqueting hall, this masterpiece now resides in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister at Schloss Wilhelmshöhe in Kassel, Germany.

This artwork depicts an ancient Roman general being crowned with a laurel wreath by Nike, the goddess of victory. The general stands triumphantly over a bound barbarian and the personification of Discord. Meanwhile, a figure representing the spirit of Harmony offers him a bundle of arrows, symbolizing peace. On the right, another figure symbolizes the guardian of religion, maintaining an eternal flame on the altar.

The painting has a storied history. It was acquired by William VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, between 1730 and 1760. During the Peace of Tilsit in 1807, when Kassel became the capital of the Kingdom of Westphalia under Jerome Bonaparte, the painting was transported to Paris for the imperial coronation hall. In 1813, General Czerniczew intervened, leading to negotiations for the painting's return, with Jacob Grimm playing a pivotal role. The artwork was finally repatriated in 1815.

Over the years, it has been housed in various locations in Kassel, including the Neue Galerie at Schloss Bellevue between 1878 and 1943. During World War II, to safeguard it from Allied bombing, the painting was moved to a secure storage facility in 1943. It returned to Kassel in 1974 and has since found its home in the Corps de Logis at Schloss Wilhelmshöhe.