Three decades after making an unprecedented move in the contemporary art world, mega-dealer Larry Gagosian is once again celebrating his passion for Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens. At Art Basel Paris this week, Gagosian is presenting "The Virgin and Christ Child, with Saints Elizabeth and John the Baptist" (circa 1611-14), a $7 million painting that exemplifies his longstanding appreciation for Old Master works alongside cutting-edge contemporary art.
Gagosian's fascination with Rubens dates back thirty years when he mounted a groundbreaking exhibition of the Flemish artist's oil paintings and sketches at his New York gallery. This was an extraordinary decision for a commercial contemporary art enterprise at the time. The influential dealer drew compelling connections between the 17th-century Baroque master and modern icons like Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol, particularly noting how Warhol's 1960s portraits of movie stars reminded him of Rubens's majestic royal court paintings.
"I have great affinity for Old Masters and Rubens in particular," Gagosian explains. "Over the past decade or so, I have noticed a renewed interest in the period, particularly when I think of artists like John Currin, Jenny Saville, Anna Weyant and Glenn Brown, where there is clearly an inspiration." This observation reflects a broader trend in the contemporary art world, where classical techniques and subjects are experiencing a significant revival among today's leading artists.
The Rubens painting on display is a relatively recently rediscovered depiction of the holy family, though the gallery has declined to reveal its current asking price. However, the artwork's market value is well-documented, having been sold publicly at Sotheby's New York in 2020 for $7.1 million. Art historians note that a comparable example of this subject matter is housed in the prestigious Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection in Madrid, underscoring the work's historical and artistic significance.
Art Basel has granted Gagosian special permission to exhibit this centuries-old masterpiece, which predates the fair's usual 1900 cutoff point by several hundred years. This exceptional approval was granted on the condition that the Rubens be presented in meaningful dialogue with Modern and contemporary artists, rather than as a standalone historical piece. Serena Cattaneo Adorno, director of Gagosian's Paris gallery, emphasizes the curatorial intention behind this decision: "When such juxtapositions are made, there must be a real curatorial purpose—it's not about mixing the old with the new or contemporary for purely speculative reasons. We aim to convey a cultural message."
The sophisticated Parisian art collecting community makes this type of cross-temporal presentation particularly appropriate. "Art Basel Paris allows for this kind of presentation because collectors coming to Paris are extremely knowledgeable," Adorno notes. This educational context is further enhanced by Paris's rich artistic heritage, as the Louvre museum maintains the largest collection of Rubens works outside of Belgium, providing visitors with additional context for understanding the master's broader oeuvre.
The carefully curated selection of works displayed alongside the Rubens demonstrates the gallery's thesis about artistic continuity across centuries. John Currin's brand-new canvas "Supermoon" (2025) offers a provocative contemporary interpretation of the Three Graces from Greek mythology, showing how classical themes continue to inspire modern artists. Auguste Rodin's bronze "Le Baiser" (The Kiss) (circa 1905-10), a version of his erotically charged marble sculpture depicting an embracing nude couple, bridges the gap between classical and modern sensibilities.
Completing this artistic dialogue is Pablo Picasso's "Nu accoudé" (Nude Leaning) (1961), in which the revolutionary artist deconstructs the female form and recasts it through his fascination with African masks. These selections illustrate how artistic traditions evolve and transform while maintaining connections to their historical roots. The presentation suggests that contemporary artists continue to grapple with the same fundamental human themes that occupied masters like Rubens centuries ago, albeit through distinctly modern perspectives and techniques.