How does one begin to detail the life of such an accomplished and prolific artist as Sir Peter Paul Rubens?
To discover the real Rubens, to elucidate his various manners, to conceive a just estimate of his genius, becomes an almost impossible task when his pictures are so numerous and so widely separated…
The seventeenth century Flemish painter, an advocate of the extravagant Baroque style, is renowned for the emphasis on sensuality, movement, and colour in his works, and is perhaps most famous for his Counter-Reformation pieces that include landscapes, portraits, altarpieces, and history paintings that are inspired by both mythological and allegorical subjects.
Robert Alan Mowbray, in this concise text, presents us with a vibrant biography of Rubens’ life, beginning with a brief family history of his ancestors in Antwerp and covering all the major events of Rubens’ 62 years.
But Mowbray offers us more than just a history of a great man. Through extracts from letters and other primary materials, Mowbray gives us an intimate view into Rubens’ day to day routine and his relationships with his peers and pupils.
Peter Paul Rubens is an insightful read couched in lucidly poetic terms that do justice to such an inspiring man’s life; a must-read for anyone with an interest in the Baroque master.
Robert Alan Mowbray Stevenson was born in Edinburgh in 1847. He was educated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and gained a master’s degree in 1882. During his lifetime, Stevenson was leader of new school of art criticism in England, championing ‘impressionism’ with a rare brilliancy. He has published numerous books and newspaper criticisms related to art.
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