Libra, from the Signs of the Zodiac

This circa 1650 painting of Libra from a Signs of the Zodiac series demonstrates Jordaens' involvement in decorative painting programs for aristocratic interiors. Astrological and celestial themes were popular in Baroque decorative schemes, combining classical learning with visual spectacle. Jordaens, who outlived both Rubens and Van Dyck to become the dominant figure in Flemish Baroque painting for the second half of the seventeenth century, was particularly celebrated for his exuberant genre subjects, especially his series on the Flemish proverb about the King of the Bean.

The allegorical figure personifying Libra is rendered with Jordaens' characteristic combination of robust physicality and decorative elegance, suited to the ornamental function of the zodiac series.