1577 – Born in Siegen, Westphalia, son
of Jan Rubens Protestant lawyer and alderman of city of Antwerp and Maria Pypelincks. His parents had fled Antwerp to
escape war and the prosecution of the Protestants by the Spanish troops of the
duke of Alba. In Cologne an adulterous affair with Anne of Saxony, the
estranged wife of Prince of Orange, leads to Jan’s arrest and jailing. He is
saved by his wife’s pleading and bribes and exiled to Siegen. In future Rubens
who will be deeply ashamed of father’s disgrace will thirst for respectability.
1578 – Father’s punishment lifted,
return to Cologne.
1587 – Jan Rubens dies.
1589 – Peter Paul returns with his
mother to Antwerp. He enters Rombout Verdonck college, receives thorough
classical education and studies Greek and Latin literature. From mother
receives solid Catholic education. In college meets Balthasar Moretus heir of
great Plantin printing house (founded in Antwerp in 1555) for whom he will
often design frontispieces.
1590 – Leaves college and is admitted
as page (arranged by mother) in house of Marguerite de Ligne-Arenberg a count’s
widow.Learns etiquette and aristocratic
manners which will prove useful in future diplomatic career.Draws when idle, copies from prints by Dürer
and Holbein.
1591 – Apprenticed to Tobias Verhaecht
modest landscape painter.
1592 – Moves to studio of Adam Van
Noort, master and future father in law of Jacob Jordaens.
1596 – Enters studio of greatest
living Antwerp painter Otto van Veen president of guild of St Luke, and
greatest early influence on young Rubens. Van Veen is a member of “Roman” group
of Flemish painters, having studied in Rome and introduces Rubens to Barocci,
Michelangelo, Raphael.Also a fervent
catholic and loyal subject of Hapsburgs.
1598 – End of apprentiship years and
admission into guild as master, takes on pupil.
1600 – Leaves with pupil Deodat (stays
with him for 8 years) for Italy. In Venice discovers Titian, Veronese,
Tintoretto. Presented to Vincent I Gonzaga, duke of Mantua patron of Mor,
Tasso, Galileo and Monteverdi. In Mantua Rubens charged with copying
Renaissance pictures, familiarizes himself with Titian, Mantegna, Corregio,
Raphael and Guilio Romano (in duke’s summer palace, the Palazzo del Te, which
will later inspire his own house and garden in Antwerp.) In October assists at
wedding by proxy of Marie de Medici (sister in law of duke) in Florence which
he will later paint.Discovers
Michelangelo’s tombs in Medici chapel and Leonardo’s Battle of Anghiari in
palazzo Vecchio.
1601 – Arrival in Rome to copy
pictures for his patron. Coincides with rise of Caravaggio and Carraci (Farnese
ceiling just finished with its new mix of painting and illusionist sculpture
and mix of sensuality and erudition.) Copies from Caravaggio’s Callingof St Mathew and Supper at Emmaus. Draws from
Sistine ceiling too.Infuses copies of
antiques with life and vitality of live models. “Painting requires the
intelligence of the antique but mustn’t have the sense of stone”. First church
commission obtained thanks to influence of Flemish ambassador a friend of his
brother’s Philip’s.
1602 – Return to Mantua. Receives
visit of brother Phillip and Jan Woverius both pupils of great neo-stoic
philosopher Justus Lipsius. This visit will later inspire the “Four
Philosophers” . First diplomatic mission, sent by duke to new king of Spain
Phillip III with cargo of royal presents, including 16 copies after Raphael and
Titian and six horses.Drenched in sea
crossing the pictures have to be restored in Madrid by the painter with the
help of local painters.Paints his first
equestrian portrait of the all-powerful prime minister, the duke of Lerma. In
royal collections discovers more Titians and Raphaels.
1604 – Return to Mantua. Receives
first original church commissions.
1605-6 – New trip to Rome where Phillip
is now librarian to influential Cardinal Colonna.The study of antiquity by both leads to
publication in 1608 of Phillip’s Electorum Libri II illustrated by his brother.
Rubens builds up his antique collection, later brought back to Antwerp and sold
to duke of Buckingham.Receives
commission of important altarpiece for Santa Maria Chiesa Nuova.
1607 – In Genoa under patronage of
duke of Mantua paints local nobility.
1608 – Back in Rome finishes
altarpiece, convinces duke to buy Caravaggio’s Death of the Virgin refused
by convent.Learns of mother’s serious
illness and immediately leaves for Antwerp but arrives too late. Places first
version of Chiesa Nuova altarpiece on her tomb.
1609 – Phillip named secretary of city
of Antwerp. New hope for peace in Flanders with ongoing negotiations between
Spain and rebellious Dutch provinces for “12 year truce”. Burgmaster Nicolas
Rockox commissions Adoration of Magi for City Hall. Archduke Albert and
archduchess Isabella offer to take him into their service at court (along with
Van Veen and Jan Brueghel), though “burning” to return to Italy Rubens cannot
refuse such an offer. Marries niece of his sister in law, 19 year old Isabella
Brandt.
1610 – Buys a plot of land in
fashionable quarter and designs Italianate house and classical pavilion in
garden. House finished in 1616. 1610-20 immense altarpiece production along
with mythologies and portraits. Numerous young painters paint over chalk
drawings of master who adds finishing touches.
1611 – Rockox commissions Descent from
The Cross for Arquebusiers’ chapel in cathedral.Becomes one of his most famous paintings
thanks to publication of print by Lucas Vostermann. Fame increases with publication
of his compositions through talented printmakers. Birth of first child Cara
Serena, and death of Phillip . Paints in commemoration “Four philosophers.”
Most
famous assistants: Jan Brueghel (though 9 years older) flower
specialist.
Frans
Snyders (bird
and animal specialist). Antoon Van Dyck (enters studio 1616-1620).
1615-20 – Progressive evolution toward
looser, less polished style.
1621 – Death of Philip III, succeeded
by son Philip IV – end of 12 year truce, war resumes despite archdukes’ efforts
to prolong truce. Italian general Amborgio Spinola heads Spanish troops. Death
of Albert without heir, Flanders reverts automatically to Spain. Isabella uses
Rubens for clandestine talks with Dutch enemy.
1622 – Called to Paris by Marie de
Medici (in good terms with Isabella) to paint gallery of her new palais de
Luxembourg. Doubtelessly also a diplomatic journey.
1625 – Assists at Henrietta Maria’s
(sister of Louis XIII) marriage by proxy to Charles I of England. Meets
impetuous and vain duke of Buckingham who commissions portrait. Sensing
Richelieu’s rise to power he abandons Marie and Paris. Fall of Breda – great
Spanish victory. Rubens flees plague in Antwerp by going to country.Death of William of Nassau..
1626 – Death of Isabella Brandt.
Rubens grieves.
1627 - Sells antique collection plus
13 of his own pictures to Buckingham for 100 000 florins in Delft (another
disguised diplomatic journey.) Meets some of the great Dutch painters:
Terbruggen, Bloemaert, Honthorst.
1628 – Diplomatic journey to Madrid
under pretext of painting portrait of new king.Re-examines and copies Titians in royal gallery. Meets Velasquez to whom
he probably recommends to visit Italy.
1629 – Sails for England.Given master of arts by Cambridge University.
Meets humanists and receives commission for Whitehall banqueting hall ceiling
(finished 1634). Banquet in his honour, knighted and given diamond ring and a
sword by Charles I.
1630 – Marriage with Helen
Fourment, 16-year old daughter (Rubens is 53) of tapestry and silk merchant
whose sister Suzanne the artist had already painted some years before. Will
have 5 children with her (last born after his death.) To commemorate marriage
paints “Garden of Love”. Rejuvenation of his art.
1631 – Knighted by Philip IV (only
painter to ever receive two titles by 2 different kings:) “Painter of princes
and prince of painters”.
1633 – Death of his great patron
Isabella.Commissioned to create
triumphal arches for arrival of new Spanish governor. Economic misery created
by endless Dutch war.
1634 – Buys country residence Het
Steen at Elewijt, between Brussels and Malines.
Paints
famous late landscapes.
1636 – Commissioned to paint a series
of mythological paintings for Philip’s summer hunt pavilion near Madrid (60
models painted after Ovid.)Frequent
attacks of gout.
1640 – Dies after violent gout
attack.Succeeded as first painter to
the court by Jacob Jordaens.