Peter Paul Rubens

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was a Flemish painter and the leading artist of the Baroque in Northern Europe. After eight years in Italy he settled in Antwerp in 1608, where with a large workshop he produced altarpieces, mythological scenes, portraits and landscapes. Well-known works include The Elevation of the Cross and The Descent from the Cross in Antwerp Cathedral, the Medici cycle for the Palais du Luxembourg and the ceiling of the Banqueting House in London. He was also a diplomat for the Spanish Netherlands. His style is marked by movement, colour and full, lively figures.