On May 30, 1640, the Belgian painter Rubens passed away.

Peter Paul Rubens (June 28, 1577 - May 30, 1640), a Flemish painter, was an early representative of the Baroque school.

Rubens was born in Sigen, Germany. His father was a Protestant lawyer born in Antwerp, Belgium. He fled to Germany to escape religious persecution. After the death of his father, 12-year-old Rubens followed his mother back to Antwerp, his hometown under Spanish rule, where he was baptized by the Catholic Church. Religion became a very important theme in Rubens 'career as a painter. As a boy, Rubens worked as a waiter in a countess's house, so he had the opportunity to receive an orthodox aristocratic education and be proficient in multiple languages. Later, under the arrangement of his mother, he studied with several painters. At the age of 21, he was recognized by the Antwerp Artists Guild and became an official painter.

In 1600, Rubens went to Italy to continue studying painting. He painted for Duke Mantua and had the opportunity to further improve his artistic literacy and education. He studied ancient Roman paintings and improved his painting skills by imitating the works of great painters. As a result of this experience, many of his subsequent paintings were influenced by the styles of Titian, Michelangelo and Caravaggio. During this period, Rubens 'painting style was basically mature. Because of his outstanding paintings and smooth personality, he was promoted to ambassador by the Duke and was given the opportunity to visit cities in Spain and Italy frequently. The famous paintings he created during this period include "The Riding Statue of the Duke of Lyma","St. Helena","Erection of the Cross", and "Christ Wearing the Crown of Thorns", with the style of the Venetian School of Painting.

When his mother died in 1608, Rubens returned to Antwerp and became a court painter in Brussels. A year later, he married Isabella Brant, the daughter of a prominent Antwerp humanist. His two altarpieces for the Antwerp cathedral, The Upper Cross and The Lower Cross, established him as Belgium's preeminent religious painter. This period can be regarded as the peak of Rubens' painting career. Many royal and noble courts in Europe have ordered paintings from him. On the one hand, his paintings are magnificent, colorful and dynamic, and are loved by European dignitaries. On the other hand, because of his good social connections and prestige: Rubens, who had excellent diplomatic talent and erudition, was friendly to almost all the prominent families in Europe at that time. Due to the overwhelming number of orders, Rubens established a private studio in Antwerp and hired many talented painters as his assistants. Most of his paintings focus on religious themes, portraits, and ancient myths. Notable paintings include "The Robbery of Leupas' Daughter" and "The Life of Mary Medici". His portraits were even more popular in the European upper class.

From 1621 to 1630, Rubens was appointed by the Spanish royal family to visit many European countries to conduct diplomatic work. The most famous achievement was his successful establishment of friendly relations between Spain and Britain. For this reason, he was knighted by Charles I, and he also painted a zenith painting titled "Blessing Peace" for Whitehall, the court of London. Rubens himself obviously likes this kind of diplomatic work, once commenting that "painting is my profession, and being an ambassador is my hobby."

Four years after the death of his first wife, Isabella, Rubens, 53, married 16-year-old Helena, who also became a model in several of Rubens' later works, including "Helena in the Garden", "Helena in a Coat" and "Helena in Fur Garb". He had five children with Helena, the youngest of whom was not born until eight months after his death. He also had three children with Isabella. Rubens had a major influence on European painting, including Delacroix, Constable and Renoir, who were all influenced by his style.

Comments: Early Baroque painters, the level of portraiture can be called first-class.