Contents
Peter Paul Rubens
Creating dynamic Baroque paintings filled with movement, colour and human energy.
The Elevation of the Cross · Marie de’ Medici cycle
- Born
- 28 June 1577
- Birthplace
- Siegen, present-day Germany
- Died
- 30 May 1640
More people
Peter Paul Rubens
Flemish painter and diplomat whose Antwerp workshop supplied major patrons across Europe. His work includes religious scenes, mythology, portraits and landscapes.
Early life
A displaced family
Born while his parents were away from Antwerp; he moved there as a boy after his father’s death.
Artistic training
Trained with several Antwerp painters before entering the city’s painters’ guild.
Career
- 1600–1608
Italy
Worked for the Duke of Mantua and studied major Italian art.
- 1609 onward
Antwerp workshop
Became court painter and built a large, productive studio.
- 1620s–1630s
Art and diplomacy
Combined international commissions with diplomatic work for the Spanish Netherlands.
Selected work
The Elevation of the Cross
A forceful altarpiece built around bodies straining to raise the cross.
Marie de’ Medici cycle
A vast series mixing royal biography with allegory.
Peace and War
An allegorical painting made during his diplomatic mission to England.
Beyond work
A diplomat’s duties
Worked toward peace between England and Spain and was knighted by both monarchies.
A family household
Married Isabella Brant and, after her death, Helena Fourment; family members recur in his portraits.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Institutional biography and career ↗Photo: Peter Paul Rubens. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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