Rubens is considered one of the most productive painters of the Baroque era, and his name is associated with altarpieces, history paintings, portraits, landscapes, and drawings. Yet why would such a creative artist copy the works of the Old Masters? To Rubens, what would today be regarded as a mere reproduction and lacking the aura of the original was a special artistic challenge. His exploration of famous exemplars, such as Titian and Raphael, can be seen as a kind of artistic appropriation that at the same time was also a contest. For by changing only minor details in his derivative works, Rubens frequently arrived at solutions that were even more convincing. This publication shows how his artistic dialogue with his predecessors influenced his style, and how the vibrating colors and fluid, loose brushstrokes of his later work make reference to Titian. Exhibition schedule: Alte Pinakothek, Munich, October 23, 2009–February 7, 2010