Historical records trace a painting of Cimon and Pero through Amsterdam between 1729 and 1825.

Descriptions, sale catalogues and ownership records appear to form a possible provenance trail. But do they all refer to the same painting?

This episode follows the documented Amsterdam references and examines whether they can be connected to number 141 in Rubens’ estate inventory. The trail is significant, but the final link remains unproven.

A related painting of Cimon and Pero is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and attributed to the workshop of Peter Paul Rubens.

Technical research dates its original composition to around 1635, while also identifying elements that were added later.

This episode examines the Amsterdam version, its changing appearance and its relationship to the wider group of surviving compositions. Can it help reconstruct how the subject developed within the Rubens tradition?

Beneath the visible surface, technical imaging revealed changes made during the painting process.

The positions of figures and details were reconsidered as the composition developed. These pentimenti provide evidence of an active creative process and invite comparison with other works, including Rubens’ Phaëton.

This episode examines the hidden changes, what they reveal about the painting’s creation and why pentimenti alone cannot identify the artist.