- Born
- Died
- Height5′ 2″ (1.57 m)
- Sir Peter Paul Rubens was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens's highly charged compositions reference erudite aspects of classical and Christian history. His unique and immensely popular Baroque style emphasized movement, co-lour, and sensuality, which followed the immediate, dramatic artistic style promoted in the Counter-Reformation. Rubens was a painter producing altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and allegorical subjects. He was also a prolific designer of cartoons for the Flemish tapestry workshops and of frontispieces for the publishers in Antwerp.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Bonitao
- After his father's death in 1587, Peter Paul Rubens' family moved back to Antwerp. There he attended the Latin school. He then worked for a short time as a page in the service of Countess Marquerite de Ligne, the widow of the Count of Lalaing, at her country castle. But Rubens was interested in painting. He became a student of the painters Tobias Verhaecht, Adam van Noort and Otto van Veen. After completing his apprenticeship in 1598, he worked for Otto van Veen until 1600. But two years earlier he became a member of the Lucas Guild as a free master. In 1600 he moved to Italy, where he worked as a freelance painter. In the same year, Rubens was appointed court painter by the Duke of Mantua, Vincenzo Gonzaga. The artist traveled to numerous cities in Italy such as Genoa and Padua. In 1603 he stayed at the Spanish court in Valladolid as an emissary of Duke Gonzaga. From 1606, Rubens moved to Rome and studied architecture alongside the ancient master artists.
The results of his architectural studies resulted in the book "Palazzi di Genoa" in 1622. In 1608 Rubens traveled back to Antwerp because of his mother's illness, but she died before he arrived. Now a famous Flemish painter, the city of Antwerp tried to retain the personality with lucrative commissions. He was supposed to carry out art work on the town hall of Antwerp, such as the "Adoration of the Magi". In addition, there was the prospect of the post of court painter to the governor couple of the Spanish Netherlands, Archduke Albert and the Infanta Isabelle. This position also came with good pay. Rubens decided to stay in Antwerp. In addition, he received many benefits such as tax exemption or hiring an unlimited number of assistants. Rubens set up his painting studio as a large-scale commercial craft business, which he developed into a thriving business.
He had several employees produce works of art that he offered on the art market. Among others, the painters Anthonis van Dyck, Frans Snyders and Jan Bruegel the Elder worked for him. He had specialists work for him and thus followed a well-organized division of labor. His works were often engraved in copper and then sold on the art market throughout Europe. Particularly when it came to commissioned work, Rubens only provided the drafts and the realization was then in the hands of his employees. He also had his own works of art reproduced in his workshop for sale. The thriving art business also made the famous artist Peter Paul Rubens a wealthy businessman. In 1609 he married Isabella Brant. From around 1622, Rubens painted a lot for the nobility, including commissions for the French Queen Maria de Medici and her son Louis XIII. or the English King Charles I. His later successful work as a diplomat and politician also began during this time. For example, he acted as a mediator between the northern and Spanish Netherlands.
With his success, he managed to become an advisor to the regent of the Spanish Netherlands Isabella and her husband Albert. In 1625 he traveled to the Spanish court again on a diplomatic mission. Here he also made the acquaintance of the young artist Diego Velázquez, whose mentor he later became. In 1628 he was an official emissary at the court of the English King Charles I. Diplomatic relations were established between the two countries and a ceasefire was concluded - a success that the politician Peter Paul Rubens was able to claim. His pan-European business contacts benefited his diplomatic missions, and he linked business with politics and vice versa. After his wife's death in 1626, Rubens married 16-year-old Helene Fourment. After his diplomatic missions, painting became the focus of his interest again. In his old age, the artist suffered from gout, which made his last years difficult. In addition to his varied activities in life as a successful businessman and politician, Peter Paul Rubens was also distinguished by his versatility as a painter. He produced works in hunting, mythology, ceiling, landscape and altarpiece painting. He also designed tapestries and festival decorations.
In his early years as a painter, the influences of ancient art movements influenced his work, which was influenced, among other things, by the colors of the Venetian painters. He turned away from the classicism of his teacher Otto van Veen at an early age. During his stay in Italy, Italian painting styles became noticeable in his work, which continued even after his return to Antwerp. His trademark became the diagonal in the picture composition, which he later abandoned. Rubens knew how to give his pictures the right light. But his style changed in the mid-20s in the 17th century to a simple and calm composition and a balance of colors. A successful proportion between movement and counter-movement is clearly visible.
In his late work his works grew into monumental pictures with bright colors. Inspired by his young wife, the focus was on female beauty, which he realized with a lot of sensuality in his pictures. After he acquired the Antwerp estate of Werden in 1635, Rubens turned his attention particularly to landscape painting. Ruben's successful colorings achieved particular fame. In his painting style, the artist attempted to achieve a harmonious mediation between ideal and reality. His painting language also expresses a balancing middle ground between his own ideas and an orderly picture structure. Rubens also worked as an illustrator, draftsman and graphic artist.
Peter Paul Rubens died on May 30, 1640 in his Steen Castle in Antwerp.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Christian_Wolfgang_Barth
- Painter known for his images of plump female figures. His "Massacre of the Innocents" (1611) was bought by the son of Lord Thomson of Fleet at Sotheby's auction for $76.2 million in 2002.
- One of his most accomplished students was Anthony van Dyck.
- Sir Peter Paul Rubens was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium).
- He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition.
- At a Sotheby's auction on 10 July 2002, Rubens's painting Massacre of the Innocents, rediscovered not long before, sold for £49.5 million (US$76.2 million) to Lord Thomson.
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