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Flemish Baroque painter, Peter Paul Rubens, was born on the 28th of June 1577 in Siegen, modern day Germany. When he was 10 years old his father died and two years later he and his mother moved to Antwerp. At the age of 14 Rubens was apprenticed to the artist Tobias Verhaecht, and he later studied under the painters Adam van Noort and Otto van Veen.
His education complete, Rubens went to Italy where he was influenced by the works of Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio.
In addition to being an artist, Rubens was employed as a diplomat and his work took him to Spain in 1603 where he saw paintings by Raphael and Titian in the King's collection, before he returned to Italy.
[readmore]Rubens concentrated on his artistic career between 1609 - 1621 after he had returned to Antwerp. Then in 1621, he was commissioned by the Queen of France to paint a series of paintings celebrating her life. He was also given more diplomatic missions which enabled him to paint leading figures who he encountered on his travels. He was knighted twice; once by Philip II of Spain, and again by Charles I of England.
The last ten years of Rubens' life were spent in and around Antwerp. His first wife had died in 1626, and four years later he married his niece. In 1635 he purchased an estate where he amused himself by painting landscapes which were not commissioned works.
Rubens died on the 30th of May 1640 at the age of 62.
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Baccchus was the god of wine and Ceres the goddess of crops and harvests. Rubens is illustrating a 16th century phrase "Love is impossible without food and drink". Instead of showing a boisterous feast (for which Bacchus was famed), Rubens has painted a more restrained scene - perhaps indicating that we should be moderate in our pleasures!
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Two other versions are known to exist: one painted in 1617 which is in the Lille Palace of Fine Arts, and another painted in 1618 which is in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. The original was removed from the Cathedral of Our Lady by Napoleon and placed in the Louvre - it was however returned after Napoleon's defeat and exile
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It is also referred to as Venus at the Mirror. Venus, the personification of beauty, can be seen sitting naked before a mirror in which her gaze meets that of the viewer. This is a sensual painting which depicts the softness of the goddess' skin and the silk like quality of her hair
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The Hippopotamus and Crocodile Hunt is regarded by some as one of Rubens' masterpieces, although its realism is questionable. It is symbolic of man's struggle with nature and it contrasts the smooth with the rough, darkness with light, the high with the low, beauty with ugliness, and the civilised with the barbaric
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Marie de' Medici was Henry's second wife and she ruled as regent after his death, until her son reached maturity. The series depicts scenes from Marie's life such as the one pictured, The Birth of the Princess. The pictures serve to illustrate her struggles and her victories
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The piece is a copy of a work by Venetian painter Titian, though Rubens has added some details of his own. The parrot at the left is not in the original painting and Adam’s position and his age have both been changed
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Amongst other royals Rubens painted portraits of Wladyslaw IV Vasa - King of Poland, Elizabeth de Bourbon - Princess of France, Anna of Austria - Queen of France, and Isabella Clara Eugenia - Infanta of Spain and Portugal and sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands. Some quite illustrious names indeed!
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Rubens had become a widower in 1626 and Helena was his second wife. They married in 1630 when Rubens was 53 years old and Helena was 16!
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Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah who King David spied upon as she bathed. Bathsheba at her Bath is a popular scene amongst artists, with different versions by Rembrandt, Veronese, Gentileschi, and William Blake
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A View of Het Steen in the Early Morning was not a commission, but was painted by Rubens for his own pleasure. Landscape paintings were not fashionable at the time, but this piece is thought to have influenced 19th century landscape artist John Constable
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