Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)A Flemish Baroque painter, who is best known for his epic history paint

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)A Flemish Baroque painter, who is best known for his epic history paintings of myth and patriotic glory, such as his famed ceiling paintings at Inigo Jone’s unique Banquet House, which unashamedly reinforces the devine right of Kings. In my mind however when I think of Rubens I think of his delicately vivid palette and fleshy sensuous depiction of the female body. This style is particularly indicative of his later works which feel more liberated, less academic and restrained. Perhaps these physical developments were encouraged by his second marriage to Hélène Fourment four years after the death of his first wife, when Rubens was well into his 50s and she was a tender sixteen years of age. As made clear from this intimate revealing portrait of Fourment, he took great inspiration from her curvaceous form, and had elevated her to the status of muse.  -- source link

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