The excellent Baroque painter, Rubens became an icon for Flemish art and art of the 17th century in general by his representations of biblical scenes but also his portraits of monarchs and courtly figures. His talent for portraiture allowed him to travel the world, notably the beautiful palaces of Europe where his paintings played an insidious diplomatic role. Philippe IV, Louis XIII and even Marie de Médicis…all posed for Rubens’ paintbrush who, with his precise and grandiose style, plunges today’s viewer into the royal atmosphere of court intrigue.
The exhibition offers a great introduction to Rubens, as well as his famous contemporaries Pourbus, Champaigne, Velázquez, and Van Dyck.