The Greenhouse Effect Essay - 830 Words

Much like the glass of a greenhouse, gases in our atmosphere sustain life on Earth by trapping the sun s heat. The Earth’s atmosphere contains several different gases that act like a blanket, keeping the Earth warm. Water vapour and some trace gases like CO2, CH4 (methane), O3 (ozone), N2O (nitrous oxide), are â€Å"IR active†, i.e. they absorb heat energy, and stop the warmth from escaping into space. Without the entrapment of heat, the earth’s mean temperature would be -180 C and life, as we know it today, would not be possible. These gases are present in the atmosphere in tiny quantities compared to the amounts of oxygen and nitrogen. But even a small change in the concentration of these gases may create an effect that could change our†¦show more content†¦Any factor that alters the amount of radiation received from the sun or heat lost to space may influence the climate. Therefore, any enhancement of the Greenhouse effect is a cause for concern. Besi des fluctuations of solar radiation due to the earth orbiting around the sun, human activities influence the number of greenhouse gases. In fact, since the beginning of the industrial revolution, human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture have caused the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to increase substantially. A marked rise in the global temperature has been related to these human activities and CO2 emissions, and this temperature rise is believed to be the result of an enhancement of the natural Greenhouse effect. And as a result, global warming arises.This awareness has led many researchers to investigate possible causes and effects of this temperature rise. However, as much knowledge about the climate system is lacking, numerous researches on that issue have led to a great deal of debate. At the moment, the way the climate system will respond to these human activities is difficult to predict, for too many processes a re not understood well enough. One absolute reality though is the fact that the global climate system will respond to increasing temperatures. Moreover, this response could have irreversible consequences for the habitabilityShow MoreRelated Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect Essay591 Words   |  3 PagesGlobal Warming and the Greenhouse Effect The greenhouse effect, in environmental science, is a popular term for the effect that certain variable constituents of the Earths lower atmosphere have on surface temperatures. It has been known since 1896 that Earth has been warmed by a blanket of gasses (This is called the greenhouse effect.). The gases--water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4)--keep ground temperatures at a global average of about 15 degrees C (60 degrees F). WithoutRead MoreEssay on Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect 1500 Words   |  6 Pages Global Warming is due to the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring process that aids in heating the Earths surface and atmosphere. It results from the fact that certain atmospheric gases, such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane, are able to change the energy balance of the planet by being able to absorb longwave radiation from the Earths surface. Without the greenhouse effect, life on this planet would probably not exist as the averageRead MoreGlobal Warming and the Greenhouse Effect Essays793 Words   |  4 Pages What is the greenhouse effect? It is the behavior of solar radiation when it interacts with gasses in the Earths atmosphere. The Sun gives off a wide spectrum of energy which we classify according to its wavelength. Among the types of energy given off by the sun are ultraviolet (UV), visible and infrared (IR) wavelengths. UV is short wavelength high-energy radiation, visible is mid-wavelength, mid-energy radiation, and IR is long wavelength low-energy radiation. Read MoreEssay on Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect1912 Words   |  8 PagesGlobal Warming and the Greenhouse Effect   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Recently, global warming has moved to a serious scientific issue. Because sunlight is constantly falling on the earth, the law of physics say that the planet has to radiate the same amount of energy back into space. Infrared radiation is sent out by the earth through the atmosphere, where molecules (carbon dioxide) hold outgoing radiation for a while, warming the surface.1 The molecules are kind of like glass in a greenhouse which is why this processRead MoreEssay on The Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming1837 Words   |  8 PagesThe greenhouse effect is an important phenomenon and is currently holding national and international attention. Why is there an interest in the effect? Why are people willing to invest so much time and effort investigating its consequences and willing to suffer by them? What is the basis for believing the effect is real? The greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring process, which is initiated by the sun. It is a result of the fact that there are gases in the Earth’s atmosphere which containRead More Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect Essay example763 Words   |  4 PagesGlobal Warming and the Greenhouse Effect Human induced climate change resulting from an enhanced greenhouse effect is probably the greatest environmental threat facing the world today. Specifically, the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide may be classified as the primary culprit. As a result of greenhouse gases entering the upper levels of the earths atmosphere, it diminishes or breaks down the earths Ozone layer. With this loss of this protective blanket, harmful radioactiveRead More Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect Essay examples457 Words   |  2 PagesWarming and the Greenhouse Effect In the past decade the greenhouse effect has gained much attention with the media. Because of the pollution in the 1980s and early 90s attention was brought to the greenhouse effect. In overpopulated areas, the amounts of methane and carbon dioxide was growing. Some scientists believe the greenhouse effect is directly related to the earths warming, others believe its a cycle of earths temperatures. The greenhouse effect is very importantRead MoreGlobal Warming: The Greenhouse Effect and Our Response Essay example501 Words   |  3 PagesGlobal warming (the greenhouse effect) is the increase in the temperature of Earths weather which has become popular to many people as one of the most important danger in the universe. Discussions about causes, solutions, postive and negative effects have made by human-beings. One of the first subject people learned is that there are several causes of global warming. However, one of the most effective reason is Carbondioxide gas which most come from the combustion of fossil fuels and forestsRead MoreWhat Role Has Human Activity Played in Causing Climate Change?678 Words   |  3 Pagestemperature, ocean level, land, and precipitation. The climate change phenomenon can affect everything in the world not only natural environment, but also human society, and the world economy. This essay aims to evaluate the role of human actions that have caused the climate change. The first part of this essay will talk about the possible causes of climate change, and the second part will discuss the role of human activity, which is cause the climate change. The factors that can cause the climateRead MoreEssay on Human Activity in Climate Change721 Words   |  3 PagesThis essay and its contents is designed to define and discuss the concept of my position on the following statement: â€Å"Human activity, especially the burning of fossil fuels. It also answers inquiries of; is it a major contributor to climate change? Do I agree or disagree? From my research and readings, I‘ve concluded that, the foremost effect that burning fossil fuels has on our environment is the greenhouse effect, also known as global warming. Carbon dioxide, which is also known as greenhouse

Advertising to Youth Free Essays

In the ever expanding world of consumerism and advertising, companies are constantly looking for new ways to sell their products to youth by making their commercials and campaigns more memorable than the competition; thus having to reinvent themselves. The youth generation has become the prime target because they have more spending power than ever before; because of more disposabel income, and increased avenues at their disposal in which to spend their money. Therefore companies spend an enormous amount of money on advertisement to ensure popularity and early brand loyalty. We will write a custom essay sample on Advertising to Youth or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the last decade, these superbrands are looking towards new and outrageous ways to capture young audiences, although these campaigns are appealing, how effective are they? This essay is meant to demonstrate how companies are reinventing themselves, whether their efforts are effective, and what possible implications these actions may have on youth during their teenage years, when they may be the most impressionable. As mentioned earlier, youth are incredibly important to the international market, in â€Å"The Advertising Age†, Jeff Jensen mentions that in todays youth market â€Å"Selling out is not only accepted, it’s considered hip† (Klein, pg. 5) Corporate sponsorships have become a regular occurrence, as a conglomerates advertise during large sport events, concerts and or even host entire contests . This provides for a perfect channel of penetration to a large amount of youth as they are usually key observers of these types of events. An example of this woul d be the how McDonald’s was a sponser of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. Throughout the two week duration of the games, McDonald’s sponsorship was seen everywhere, which was ironic considering that most food offered at McDonald’s is high in fat and cholesterol.Regardless of the facts, the company promoted themselves as a product of healthy active living by having athletes endorse their products. An earlier campaign featured pop icon Justin Timberlake collaborating with the Golden Arches, and creating the slogan and jingle â€Å"Im Lovin It†, which later furthered his own music career. The use of music to attract attention to a product has become a new advertising trend among numerous companies because it allows the organization to appear in tune with youth culture by using familiar songs, or artists to identify with the brand.A revolutionary effort made by automobile manufacturers such as Audi, Ford, Honda, and BMW has changed brand image by creating brand loyalty among â€Å"a whole new generation† and â€Å"chasing young buyers. † (Halliday, 16) In the case of Audi, they sponsored David Bowie’s concert, and asked fans to collaborate two of his hit songs for their next campaign; the winner would win a brand new Audi TT coupe. â€Å"The target for the contest [was] skewe[ed] to 20-something consumers, younger than Audi’s traditional audie nce in their late 30s to early 50s† (Halliday, 16) As for BMW, their angle for targeting youth aged 15-30 years old was similarly clever.They sponsored young go-cart drivers by providing them with scholarships to race for BMW Formula USA professionally, not only helping build the winners careers, but have their new target audience identify with the drivers and therefore, the brand. In the past, luxury vehicles such as BMW and Audi were mostly marketed towards baby boomers, but marketers are starting to realize the market value of advertising to youth approaching an age when they start deciding what car they should identify with. This creates brand loyalty at an early age, that will hopefully generate sales for the companies later on.The above are all examples of how to secure brand loyalty among youth at an early age. Although the campaigns are ingenious marketing strategies, the repercussions may be serious. In the case of McDonald’s, there are some serious ethical issues centered around the fact that a restaurant that sells junk food is promoting itself as an alternative to a healthy lifestyle. Although they do offer â€Å"healthier† choices on their menu, their campaign during the Olympics featured the slogan â€Å"you don’t have to be an athlete to eat like one† featuring athletes like Patrick Chan eating a burger.These types of commercials tend to be misleading to young viewers to believe that athletes actually eat fast food. Even viewers that are aware McDonald’s is not a healthy choice might be more likely to purchase from the restaurant because of the constant adve rtising, and incentives such as official Olympic paraphernalia. The effect of the campaign was very successful, as McDonald’s generated a sales profit of 4. 8 percent worldwide higher than last February, with a predicted increased of 4 percent. In retrospect, luxury automobile makers advertising to youth may be a seemingly harmless alternative to gaining future customers.But on closer inspection, the problem may lie deeper. By luxury models creating brand loyalty so early one, it gives the impression that any person can own an Audi or BMW, when in fact that is not the case. Many people will never be able to afford this type of vehicle, but by instilling a desire so early on, may cause some to live beyond their means, meaning going into debt to own an Audi, and have a false sense of accomplishment. On the other hand, a teen may desire these cars, and dedicate themselves to working hard so that one day they be able to afford one. There is no way to tell whether this will have a positive or negative effect of the consumer, as the campaign is only a start to the reinvention of two brands that have for many decades been deemed as appropriate for middle-aged adults. During the era of Old Hollywood, product placement was a small part of the movie making business, as corporate products were secondary to the script and story line. In today’s conglomerate controlled society, advertisement becomes the main form of funding for a motion picture, thus in some cases controlling the whole integrity of the film.On television, certain shows are created around the product itself, and cleverly manipulated through repetition to instigate desire in the product. The prominence of this type of product placement is clearly visible in television and movie programming that is targeted at youth. An example is â€Å"America’s Next Top Model,† the corporate sponsor of the show is Cover Girl Cosmetics. The whole show is built around using the products, advertising them in the photo shoot campaigns, and again repeating the brand at the end during the elimination ceremony. The brand describes itself as youthful and fresh, the perfect brand for young girls. The models in the reality show all strive to win $100,000 contract with Cover Girl. Needless to say, this has been an incredibly well executed advertising campaign, and it is endorsed by supermodel Tyra Banks, and is viewed by millions of young girls around the world. Last year Cover Girl’s revenue was US 79. 03 billion dollars. Even if only a smart per cent of young women buy the cosmetics because of the show, it is still a fantastic investment in advertising for the company.Many movies are following in the same trend by shamelessly centering their scripts around product placement, in some cases making it the focus of the entire movie. One extreme example in the satire comedy â€Å"Talladega Nights† starring Will Farrel. The film focuses around the advertisement of Nascar, Wonderbread, Old Spice, Perrier, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Applebees to name a few. The viewer is so overwhelmed by the amount of corporate sponsors, that they may fail to recognize that there is no true story line.This movie is meant for a young audience as it is filled with outrageously inappropriate and immature humor that ironically identifies the fact that the movie is filled with product placement. This is a brilliant way to advertise numerous products because the movie does not deny the fact, which makes it almost acceptable to the audience because of the recognition of the fact. Shortly after the movie aired, Wonderbread started a new savvy campaign of their own, introducing a new whole wheat version of their bread that catered to children.There is no doubt that Wonderbread became the face of â€Å"Talladega Nightsâ €  and thus unforgettable. In the fight for youth audiences, companies are now spending millions of dollars on market research in the mission of finding out what is â€Å"trendy† and â€Å"cool. † In her article Niomi Klein identifies a different approach to researching the youth generation. â€Å"Cool Hunters: The legal stalkers of youth culture† (Klein, pg. 72) are used to investigate teenagers by large corporations into order to stay current within their advertising and products. Armed with their change agents and cool hunters, the superbrands become the perennial teenage followers, trailing the scent of cool wherever it led† (Klein, pg. 73) that brings reinvention to a whole new level. These marketers usually focus towards the ghettos of large cities, where subcultures start because of lack of money; these youth are forced to use their creativity to standout and build a self image against the status quo. Corporations such as Nike recognize trends in these communities, and use it towards the advent of a new campaign and line of clothing or shoes.The irony is that this trend is catered to suburban youth fabricated to look like the youth from the ghettos because â€Å"very often the most exciting outfits are from the poorest people. † (Klein, pg. 73) Wherever there is a new trend emerging, the superbrands will find some way to materialize it for their own profit. This creates a problem of originality as â€Å"no space has been left unbranded. † (Klein, 73) Youth may find it difficult to create an outstanding and alternative image for themselves that does not represent mass consumerism.There is also some ethical problems with this marketing trend as this could be seen as a new form of pirating ideas, and the compromising of privacy of the youth targeted in the ghettos. The trend of hip hop influence has spread to other companies such as Reebok, Tommy Hilfiger and even Levi’s as they use celebrity endorsements like 50 Cent, Puff Daddy and Jay-Z to further sell their reinvented brand images. In another effort to stand out and make a commercial unforgettable, some companies are going to extreme measures to create edgier content that abandons the use of musical inspired content, and uses shocking images in its place.One such company is Airwalk shoes which used body dismemberment and overflowing toilets as humor to create an â€Å"uncensored voice of the counterculture. † (Jensen, pg. 31) This campaign came into light after the success of dirty humor movies such as â€Å"There’s Something About Mary† and â€Å"Monty Python†. The first commercial hows an Airwalk consumer being chased by an angry motorist; and ends up losses some limbs in the process. After the ordeal is over, the loyal customer finds one of his dismeme bered legs in order to get his Airwalk shoe back. The second commercial titled â€Å"Titanic† illustrated a young man sitting on the toilet which starts to overflow, and he does everything to keep his Airwalk shoes from getting wet. The approach of the outrageous was aimed to be more â€Å"viral†, by using the shocking images to gain more media placement among ESPN, MTV, and Much Music. The spokesperson for Airwalk was quoted saying â€Å"It won’t be enough to just carpet-bomb consumers with your brand name [†¦ ] a brand better be compelling enough that consumers covet it. † (Jensen, pg. 1) The campaign was aimed towards a niche target audience of teenaged skateboarders that would appreciate the dirty humor, as they were thought to be as fearless and out-going as were the new 4 million dollar advertisements. Although they probably appealed to many young people, it most likely offended other viewers with the gut-wrenching content. This interesting approach could either work in favor of the company or against it; but by using such explicit humor may prove to be very limiting, as it may only appeal to a small audience, not generating as many sales.In the end, the campaign proved to be too extreme for MTV which asked the company to tone down the dismemberment approach. After reviewing just a few modes of advertisement towards youth, the question of how this effects them during their reflective years, leading into adulthood. In a review of cognitive studies done on youth ages 11-16 years old â€Å"had still not acquired an understanding of persuasive intent on a par wit h adult levels† (Nairn Fine, pg. 449-450) Thus these children were not able to identify clearly that companies were advertising to them in order to sell a product. This makes it very dangerous because teenagers may start forming habits of consumption before they are able to identify them completely leading to the onset of the mass consumerism attitude. Children around the aged of 12 â€Å"do not show the expected increase in resistance to advertising† (Nairn Fine, pg. 450), making them an easy target for brand loyalty and preference for corporations. Consequently, a child shown a movie clip introducing a brand would be more likely to choose that brand after seeing it; this was concluded by a study done by Auty and Lewis in the Psychology of Marketing.In light of this information, the ethical issues surrounding advertising to children and youth should be taken under great consideration. By possibly limiting the amount of commercials during youth programming would have a positive effect of limiting the effects of mass consumer culture. But in contrast, much of the programming aired for youth is sponsored by large corporations, and if comm ercials are cut down, so is the funding. Not only may advertising effect the future consumer practices of youth, but it also may effect their morals and values.Seeing crude material such as the Airwalk commercials may have some influence in their tolerance for such humor, and may make it acceptable in their eyes. Images of sexually explicit content may also have the same repercussions towards behavior as well as self image. In shows like â€Å"America’s Next Top Model†, the girls are portrayed as perfect because they are thin; youth may aspire to such ideals which may cause a negative self image towards themselves and others. Advertising is a powerful tool for many corporations, and they will constantly looking for new and exciting ways to capture the attention of youth.There numerous methods that make advertising almost inescapable. Every area of the environment becomes a commodity as advertising can be found on the floors and ceilings of buses, internet sites, and even in washrooms stalls. But what the youth of today have is more information at their disposal that they can use to combat large corporations, and be able to identify what these companies are doing. They can use this information to generate their own income by using sites like YouTube, or use what they know against the corporations to ban advertising to young children. How to cite Advertising to Youth, Papers

Rubens Essay Example For Students

Rubens Essay Peter Paul Rubens is considered one of the most important Flemish painters of the 17th century. His style became an international definition of the animated, exuberantly sensuous aspects of baroque painting. Combining the bold brushwork, luminous color, and shimmering light of the Venetian school with the fervent vigor of Michelangelos art and the formal dynamism of Hellenistic sculpture, Rubens created a vibrant art, its pulsating energies emanating from tensions between the intellectual and emotional, the classical and the romantic. For 200 years the vitality and eloquence of his work influenced such artists as Antoine Watteau, in the early 18th century,and Eugne Delacroix and Pierre Auguste Renoir, in the 19th century. Rubenss father, Jan Rubens, was a prominent lawyer and Antwerp alderman. Having converted from Catholicism to Calvinism, Jan Rubens in 1568 fled Flanders with his family because of persecutions against Protestants. In 1577 Peter Paul was born in exile at Siegen, Westphalia (now in Germany), also the birthplace of his brother Philip and his sister Baldina. There, their father had become the adviser and lover of Princess Anna of Saxony, wife of Prince William I of Orange (William the Silent). On the death of Jan Rubens in 1587, his widow returned the family to Antwerp, where they again became Catholics. After studying the classics in a Latin school and serving as a court page, Peter Paul decided to become a painter. He apprenticed in turn with Tobias Verhaecht, Adam van Noort, and Otto van Veen, called Vaenius, three minor Flemish painters influenced by 16th-century Mannerist artists of the Florentine-Roman school. The young Rubens was as precocious a painter as he had earlier been a scholar of modern European languages and of classical antiquity. In 1598, at the age of 21, he was accorded the rank of master painter of theAntwerp Guild of St. Luke. Following the example of many northern European artists of the period, Rubens felt drawn by necessity to travel to Italy, the center of European art for the previous two centuries. In 1600 he arrived in Venice, where he was particularly inspired by the paintings of Titian, Paolo Veronese, and Tintoretto. Later, while resident in Rome, he was influenced by the works of Michelangelo and Raphael, as well as by ancient Greco-Roman sculpture. Vincenzo Gonzaga (reigned 1587-1612), the duke of Mantua, employed Rubens for about nine years. Besides executing original works, Rubens copied Renaissance paintings for the ducal collection, and in 1605 he served as the dukes emissary to King Philip III of Spain. During his years in Italy, Rubens saw the early baroque works of the contemporary Italian painters Annibale Carracci and Caravaggio, and he associated with some of the leading humanist intellectuals of the day. When Rubens left Italy, he was no longer a bourgeois but a gentleman, and he was not a local artist but one of international style and reputation. His mothers death in 1608 brought Rubens back to Antwerp, where he married Isabella Brant in 1609. Having formulated one of the first innovative expressions of the baroque style while in Italy, Rubens on his return was recognized as the foremost painter of Flanders and, therefore,was immediately employed by the burgomaster of Antwerp. His success was further confirmed in 1609, when he was engaged as court painter to the Austrian archduke Albert and his wife, the Spanish infanta Isabella, who together ruled the Low Countries as viceroys for the king of Spain. The number of pictures requested from Rubens was so large that he established an enormous workshop in which the master did the initial sketch and final touches, while his apprentices completed all the intermediary steps. Besides court commissions from Brussels and abroad, the highly devout Rubens was much in demand by the militant Counter Reformation church of Flanders, which regarded his dramatic, emotionally charged interpretations of religious events-such as the Triptych of the Raising of the Cross (1610-11, Antwerp Cathed ral)-as images for spiritual recruitment and renewal. .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd , .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd .postImageUrl , .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd , .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd:hover , .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd:visited , .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd:active { border:0!important; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd:active , .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3636428cf0bcf7bbcab69eb9ad32fafd:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Lady Macbeth Essay Prosperity allowed Rubens to build an Italianate residence in Antwerp, where he housed his extensive collection of art and antiquities. Between 1622 and 1630 Rubenss value as a diplomat was equal to his importance as a painter.In 1622 he visited Paris, where the French queen Marie de Mdicis commissioned him, for the Luxembourg Palace, to depict her life in a series of allegorical paintings (completed 1625). Despite the keen loss Rubens felt after the death of his wife in 1626, he continued to be highly productive. In 1628 he was sent by the Flemish viceroys to Spain. While in Madrid he received several commissions from King Philip IV of Spain, who made him secretary of his Privy Council. Rubens also served as a mentor to the young Spanish painter Diego Velzquez. After a delicate diplomatic mission to London in 1629, he was knighted by a grateful King Charles I of England, for whom he executed several paintings. For Charles, Rubens also made the preliminary sketches (finished in Antwerp, 1636) for the ceiling mural in the Whitehall Palace Banqueting Hall. From 1630, when he married Hlne Fourment, until his death on May 30, 1640, Rubensremained in Antwerp, living primarily at Castle Steen, his country residence. During this final decade he continued executing commissions for the Habsburg monarchs of Austria and Spain. More and more, he also painted pictures of personal interest, especially of his wife and child and of the Flemish countryside. The concerns of Rubenss late style, and indeed of his whole career, are summarized in The Judgment of Paris (circa 1635-37, National Gallery, London). In this painting voluptuous goddesses are posed against a verdant landscape, goddesses and landscape both symbolizing the richness of creation. Color is luxuriant, light and shade glow, and the brushwork is sensuous. All these elements further the meaning of the narrative, which is Pariss selection of what is most beautiful-the lifelong concern of Rubens in his art.