Peter Paul Rubens

About the Artist

Peter Paul Rubens was born in 1577 and died in 1640; he was a Baroque painter from Belgium. Although born in Germany, he was active in Antwerp, Belgium, and was recognized as a central figure of Baroque art. Rubens's works are characterized by dynamic composition, intense color, and vivid depictions of the human body, and he showed outstanding skill in history painting dealing with mythological and religious themes. One of his masterpieces, "The Descent from the Cross," is an altarpiece created during the Counter-Reformation that clearly reflects his artistic achievement and religious fervor.