# The Union of Earth and Water [View the canonical artwork record]() ## Artwork - Artist: [RUBENS, Peter Paul]() - Date: 1601-1650 - Technique: Oil on canvas, 223 x 181 cm ## Commentary The Union of Earth and Water c. 1618 Oil on canvas, 223 x 181 cm The Hermitage, St. Petersburg In the 16-17th centuries the four elements \(Earth, Air, Fire and Water\) are usually represented as classical gods and goddess with their attributes. Earth, as a woman has the attributes that belong to the goddesses of fertility \(e.g. the cornucopia of Ceres\). Water is personified by a river good with his overturned urn. <P> <TABLE ALIGN=LEFT CELLPADDING=5 BORDER=1 WIDTH=320 BGCOLOR="\#99CCCC"> <TR VALIGN=MIDDLE><TD><IMG SRC="/support/gif/listen.gif" BORDER=0 VALIGN=MIDDLE> Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 28 minutes\):<BR><A HREF="\#" onClick="w=window.open \('/music1/18\_cent/handel\_watermusic.html', 'newWin', 'scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350'\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true"><B>George Frideric Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1</B></A> </TD></TR></TABLE> \*\*\* Keywords: \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* Author: RUBENS, Peter Paul Title: The Union of Earth and Water Time-line: 1601-1650 School: Flemish Form: painting Type: mythological ## Related artworks - [A Forest at Dawn with a Deer Hunt]() - [Adoration of the Magi]() - [Adoration of the Magi]() - [Adoration of the Magi]() - [Adoration of the Shepherds]() - [Adoration of the Shepherds]() - [Albert and Nicolaas Rubens]() - [Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara]() - [Allegorical Glorification of King James I]() - [Allegorical Glorification of King James I]() - [Allegorical Glorification of King James I]() - [Allegorical Glorification of King James I]() ## Attribution [Web Gallery of Art]()