Who was Peter Paul Rubens?

Peter Paul Rubens, (1577 - 1640) was a Flemish painter who was the greatest exponent of Baroque painting’s dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. Rubens was born into a working-class family. His father, a lawyer and alderman, was involved in politics and other social affairs while his mother, was an heiress and writer from the Southern Netherlands.

Though his masterpieces include portraits and landscapes, Rubens is perhaps best known for his religious and mythological compositions. As the impresario of vast decorative programs, he presided over the most famous painter’s studio in Europe. His powers of invention were matched by extraordinary energy and versatility.

Peter Paul Rubens epitomized the "gentleman" artist archetype. Productive, professional, and moving with ease amongst both artistic and political circles, he exemplified what it meant to be a proper courtly painter of the 17th century, elevating his own life to the same standards of leisure and excellence afforded his patrons.

This style emphasized movement, color, drama, and sensuality, and reinvigorated painting with a new lust for life after a relatively conservative period for art. Rubens' signature portrayal of the female form was coined "Rubenesque," a term that remains widely recognized today to describe voluptuous nudes.