The Flemish baroque painter, was the most well-known painters of his time and diplomat of the Spanish-Hapsburg crown. In his early years as a painter, the influence of ancient art movements acted on his work, which was characterized among others by the colors of the Venetian painter. His painting style with the pointed expression of movement and color feature was a landmark in contemporary painting. Peter Paul Rubens was a versatile painter, the altar of hunting and mythological images to ceiling paintings and realized lots of images. In his later work grew to monumental work on his paintings with bright colors. Inspired by his young wife was at the forefront of feminine beauty, which he realized with a lot of sensuality in his pictures. Furthermore, Rubens was working as an illustrator, draftsman and graphic artist …
Peter Paul Rubens was the sixth of seven children of lawyers appearance from Antwerp, Jan Rubens and his wife Mary on 28 Pypelincks June 1577 Born in Westphalia victories.
With the death of his father in 1587 went back to the family of Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp. There he attended the Latin School. Then he was for a small time as a page in the service of the Countess Marguerite de Ligne, the widow of the Earl of Lalang, on whose land the castle. But Rubens was interested in the painting. So he became a pupil of the painters Verhaecht Tobias, Adam van Noort and Otto van Veen. With completing his apprenticeship in 1598 he worked until 1600 when Otto van Veen. But only two years before he became a free master as a member of the Company of St. Luke. In 1600 he went to Italy, where he worked as a freelance painter.
Rubens was in the same year by the Duke of Mantua, Vincenzo Gonzaga, was appointed court painter. The artist traveled to many cities in Italy such as Genoa and Padua. 1603 he stayed at the Spanish court at Valladolid on as an emissary of the Duke Gonzaga. Rubens from 1606 went to Rome and studied alongside the ancient masters artists and architecture. The results of his architecture studies in 1622 culminated in the book “Tues palaces of Genoa.” Rubens returned to Antwerp in 1608 traveled because of the illness of the mother who died but before his arrival. Meanwhile, a well-known Flemish painter tried the city of Antwerp, the personality to keep up with lucrative jobs.
So he should perform art works at the city hall of Antwerp, for example, “Anbeteung of kings”. In addition, the view came to the post of court painter to the governor-couple of Spanish Netherlands, Archduke Albert and the Infanta Isabella. Also this was associated with a excellent pay. Rubens chose to stay in Antwerp. He also received many perks such as tax exemption or an unlimited number of job agents. Rubens drew on his painting studio as a commercial craft operating on a large scale, which he developed into a flourishing business.
He did yield a number of employees works of art, which he offered on the art market. Among other things, worked for him, the painter Anthony van Dyck, Frans Snyders and Jan Bruegel the Elder. He let specialists work for you and thus followed a well-methodical rift of labor. His works were often engraved on copper, then sell them in Europe on the art market. Especially when the order is delivered Rubens work only the designs, the implementation would lie in the hands of its employees. He also had his own art in his workshop for the sale reproduce.
The thriving art scene was the well-known artist Peter Paul Rubens to boot to a wealthy businessman. In 1609 he married Isabella Brant. From about 1622 Rubens painted a fantastic deal for the nobility, including the orders were for the French queen Marie de Medici and her son Louis XIII. or the English King Charles I. During this time his later successful career started as a diplomat and politician. He acted as an intermediary, for example between the north and the Spanish Netherlands. In his success, he made it to the consultant for the regent of the Spanish Netherlands Isabella and her husband Albert.
In 1625 he traveled on a diplomatic job for a second time to the Spanish court. Here he also made the acquaintance of the young artist Diego Velázquez’s guide, he later became. In 1628 he stayed on as an official envoy at the court of King Charles I.. Between the two countries established diplomatic relations were recorded and entered into a truce – a success that the politician Peter Paul Rubens was able to claim for itself. Its pan-European business benefited from its diplomatic missions, contacts, and he collective business with politics and vice versa.
With the death of his wife in 1626 married the 16-year-ancient Helene Rubens Fourment. With his diplomatic missions to painting again went to the center of his interest. At the age of the artist suffered from gout, which gave him his last years hard. In addition to his different activities in life as a successful businessman and politicians drew from Peter Paul Rubens as a painter for his versatility. He produced works in the hunt, mythologies, ceiling, altar screen of landscaping and painting. He also designed tapestries and decorations. In his early years as a painter, the influence of ancient art movements acted on his work, which was characterized among others by the colors of the Venetian painter.
Early on, he turned away from the classicism of his teacher Otto van Veen. Through his stay in Italy by Italian painting styles became noticeable in his work, which continued even with his return to Antwerp. His trademark was the diagonal in the composition, which he later but left again. In addition, his works convey vitality and movement. It did Rubens, his images to give the right light. But his style changed in the mid 20s in the 17th Century to build a simple and silent image and a balance of colors. Clearly visible is a perfect proportion between movement and countermovement.
In his later work grew to monumental work on his paintings with bright colors. Inspired by his young wife was at the forefront of feminine beauty, which he realized with a lot of sensuality in his pictures. With he had bought in 1635 the estate standing Antwerp, Rubens turned more to landscape painting. Special attained notoriety Rubens successful colorings. His painting style of the artist tried a harmonious exchange between ideal and reality. His Malsprache likewise expresses a compensatory balance between his own conception of an orderly and image building. Furthermore, Rubens was working as an illustrator, draftsman and graphic artist.
Peter Paul Rubens died on 30 May 1640 in Antwerp’s Steen Castle.
