Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), Painter

Sitter associated with 13 portraits
Artist associated with 39 portraits
An exponent of the Baroque style, and a pre-eminent artist of the seventeenth century. He was a leading painter of altarpieces, history painting, large-scale decorations and landscapes. Born in Germany, Rubens moved to Antwerp in around 1588, where he trained with Otto van Veen. He travelled in Italy between 1600 and 1608, where he was influenced by ancient and Italian Renaissance art. In 1609, he became court painter to Archduke Albert and the Infanta Isabella, Governors of the Netherlands for Spain. From 1628 to 1630, Rubens returned to Spain, where he met Velázquez, then came to England. A scholar, collector and diplomat, he was knighted by Philip IV of Spain and Charles I of England.