Peter Paul Rubens

Table of Contents

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

What inspired Peter Paul Rubens's Descent from the Cross?

Peter Paul Rubens: The Judgment of Solomon

Peter Paul Rubens: Jagd auf Nilpferd und Krokodil (“Hunt for Hippopotamus and Crocodile”)

Peter Paul Rubens: The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus

Peter Paul Rubens: the life of Marie de Médicis

Peter Paul Rubens: portrait of Anne of Austria

For Students

Peter Paul Rubens summary

Read Next

31 Masterpieces of Painting in Madrid

Aerial view of Florence (Firenze), Italy from the campanile of the Duomo, with the gigantic dome (designed by Filippo Brunelleschi) in the foreground. Unidentifiable tourists are visible on top of the dome, which provide a measure of the building s scale.

25 Famous Paintings to See the Next Time You’re in Florence

Painting palette with oil paints and brushes. Rainbow colored paints, arts and entertainment

Art History: The Origins of 7 of Your Favorite Art Supplies

National Museum of Fine Arts. National museum building located on peninsula Blasieholmen in city centre with near Lake Malaren channel view from old town quarter Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden

14 Significant Paintings at Nationalmuseum in Sweden

Colorful abstract painting. Contemporary painting. Not a Jackson Pollock. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, history and society

7 Tongue-Twisting Painting Techniques

Discover

Marriage. A couple getting married during a church wedding ceremony. (religion, ceremony, bride, groom)

The Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic church

Giorgione, Italian, 1477/1478-1510, The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1505/1510, oil on panel, overall: 90.8 x 110.5 cm (35 3/4 x 43 1/2 in.), Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1939.1.289, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

8 Must-See Paintings at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

The Colosseum, Rome, Italy. Giant amphitheatre built in Rome under the Flavian emperors. (ancient architecture; architectural ruins)

New Seven Wonders of the World

airplane in flight (plane, aircraft, flying)

7 Puzzling Plane Disappearances

American bison (Bison bison) also known as buffalo or plains buffalo on the prairie, western U.S.

What’s the Difference Between Bison and Buffalo?

Prayer beads on Quran or Koran written in Arabic Islam's sacred and liturgical language. text, words, Ramadan

Celebrating Ramadan

Close up of a hand placing a ballot in a ballot box. Election vote voter voting

Have Any U.S. Presidents Decided Not to Run For a Second Term?

Arts & Culture

Peter Paul Rubens

Q: What is Peter Paul Rubens famous for?

Peter Paul Rubens is famous for his inventive and dynamic paintings of religious and mythological subjects, though he also painted portraits and landscapes. He is regarded as one of the greatest painters of the 17th-century Baroque period.

Q: Who influenced Peter Paul Rubens?

Peter Paul Rubens was taught by Tobias Verhaecht and Otto van Veen. On a trip to Italy in 1600, he learned from paintings by Titian , Tintoretto , and Paolo Veronese in Venice. When he arrived in Rome the next year, he was influenced by the Baroque paintings of Annibale Carraci and Caravaggio .

Flemish artist

Written by Charles Scribner

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Mar 8, 2024 • Article History

Peter Paul Rubens: self-portrait

See all media

Category: Arts & Culture

Born:: June 28, 1577, Siegen, Nassau, Westphalia [Germany]

Died:: May 30, 1640, Antwerp, Spanish Netherlands [now in Belgium] (aged 62)

Notable Works:: “Descent from the Cross”; “The Elevation of the Cross”

Movement / Style:: Baroque art and architecture; Flemish art; Stuart style

On the Web:: Official Site of Peter Paul Rubens (Mar. 08, 2024)

See all related content →

What is Peter Paul Rubens famous for?

Who influenced Peter Paul Rubens?

Peter Paul Rubens (born June 28, 1577, Siegen, Nassau, Westphalia [Germany]—died May 30, 1640, Antwerp, Spanish Netherlands [now in Belgium]) Flemish painter who was the greatest exponent of Baroque painting’s dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. 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. Rubens was born in the German town of Siegen, in Westphalia. His father, Jan Rubens, a lawyer and alderman ...(100 of 3404 words)

Access the full article

Help support true facts by becoming a member.