Flemish Baroque Era Painter, 1577-1640
Peter Paul Rubens (June 28, 1577 ?C May 30, 1640) was a prolific seventeenth-century Flemish Baroque painter, and a proponent of an exuberant Baroque style that emphasized movement, color, and sensuality. He is well-known for his Counter-Reformation altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and allegorical subjects.
In addition to running a large studio in Antwerp which produced paintings popular with nobility and art collectors throughout Europe, Rubens was a classically-educated humanist scholar, art collector, and diplomat who was knighted by both Philip IV, king of Spain, and Charles I, king of England.
Rubens was a prolific artist. His commissioned works were mostly religious subjects, "history" paintings, which included mythological subjects, and hunt scenes. He painted portraits, especially of friends, and self-portraits, and in later life painted several landscapes. Rubens designed tapestries and prints, as well as his own house. He also oversaw the ephemeral decorations of the Joyous Entry into Antwerp by the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand in 1635.
His drawings are mostly extremely forceful but not detailed; he also made great use of oil sketches as preparatory studies. He was one of the last major artists to make consistent use of wooden panels as a support medium, even for very large works, but he used canvas as well, especially when the work needed to be sent a long distance. For altarpieces he sometimes painted on slate to reduce reflection problems.
His fondness of painting full-figured women gave rise to the terms 'Rubensian' or 'Rubenesque' for plus-sized women. The term 'Rubensiaans' is also commonly used in Dutch to denote such women.
Helene Fourment and Her Children,Claire-Jeanne and Francois (mk05 )
Helene Fourment and Her Children,Claire-Jeanne and Francois (mk05 )
Painting ID:: 20488
ca.1636-1637
Wood,45 1/4 x 33 1/2''(115 x 85 cm).Collection of Louis XIV;acquired in 1784
ca.1636-1637
Wood,45 1/4 x 33 1/2''(115 x 85 cm).Collection of Louis XIV;acquired in 1784
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Landscape with a Bird-Catcher (mk05)
Landscape with a Bird-Catcher (mk05)
Painting ID:: 20490
Wood,18 x 33 1/2''(46 x 85 cm).Obtained from the collection of the Stadhouder at The Hague in 1795
Wood,18 x 33 1/2''(46 x 85 cm).Obtained from the collection of the Stadhouder at The Hague in 1795
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Philopeoemen General of the Achaeans Is Recognized by His Hosts at Megara (mk05)
Philopeoemen General of the Achaeans Is Recognized by His Hosts at Megara (mk05)
Painting ID:: 20491
Wood 19 1/2 x 26''(50 x 66 cm)From Plutarch Sketch for a large picture painted by Snyders with aid from Rubens;received in 1869
Wood 19 1/2 x 26''(50 x 66 cm)From Plutarch Sketch for a large picture painted by Snyders with aid from Rubens;received in 1869
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Selbstbildnis mit Isabella Brant in der Geibblattlaube (mk05)
Selbstbildnis mit Isabella Brant in der Geibblattlaube (mk05)
Painting ID:: 20861
Flemish Baroque Era Painter, 1577-1640
Peter Paul Rubens (June 28, 1577 ?C May 30, 1640) was a prolific seventeenth-century Flemish Baroque painter, and a proponent of an exuberant Baroque style that emphasized movement, color, and sensuality. He is well-known for his Counter-Reformation altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and allegorical subjects.
In addition to running a large studio in Antwerp which produced paintings popular with nobility and art collectors throughout Europe, Rubens was a classically-educated humanist scholar, art collector, and diplomat who was knighted by both Philip IV, king of Spain, and Charles I, king of England.
Rubens was a prolific artist. His commissioned works were mostly religious subjects, "history" paintings, which included mythological subjects, and hunt scenes. He painted portraits, especially of friends, and self-portraits, and in later life painted several landscapes. Rubens designed tapestries and prints, as well as his own house. He also oversaw the ephemeral decorations of the Joyous Entry into Antwerp by the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand in 1635.
His drawings are mostly extremely forceful but not detailed; he also made great use of oil sketches as preparatory studies. He was one of the last major artists to make consistent use of wooden panels as a support medium, even for very large works, but he used canvas as well, especially when the work needed to be sent a long distance. For altarpieces he sometimes painted on slate to reduce reflection problems.
His fondness of painting full-figured women gave rise to the terms 'Rubensian' or 'Rubenesque' for plus-sized women. The term 'Rubensiaans' is also commonly used in Dutch to denote such women.