Whodunit Wednesday: Peter Paul Rubens

One of the first times we visited Antwerp I remember having someone point out that the famous painter, Rubens, had lived here. His house is now a museum downtown. I had heard the name of Peter Paul Rubens and knew that he had been a painter, but did not know much about him. 

Pieter Paul Rubens was born in 1577 and is considered the most influential of Flemish Baroque painters. He was also a diplomat who traveled around Europe and mingled with nobility. His paintings are well-known. Rubens’ female nudes were typically full-bodied, which was considered voluptuous at the time. Today we still might call a woman “Rubenesque”. Whereas later generations might consider a thinner woman more desirable, the fashion in Rubens' time was for voluptuous women. This showed that they were rich and healthy. 

Rubens painted all sorts of subjects. He painted portraits of the rich and famous, started with landscapes and continued on in later life with Biblical themes. Several of his apprentices became famous in their own right, just as he, too had followed the greats of his time. You might be familiar with his paintings "Susanna and the Elders", "Lot and his daughters", or "Landscape with milkmaids and cattle".  

Those who enjoy art either love or hate Pieter Paul Rubens. His technique is unmistakeable. One has to decide if the style fits one’s taste. His emphasis is on color, movement and sensuality. But it is clear that he is one of the greats - from the little country of Belgium, right “down the road” from us in Antwerp.