17^th Century Flemish

History and portrait painter; printmaker.

Son of a prosperous silk and fabrics merchant, Van Dyck trained at the studio of Hendrick van Balen and established himself as an independent painter before entering Rubens’ studio as a collaborator in 1618 and becoming the master’s main assistant in 1620. Even though he was already a trained artist, Rubens’ style exerted a deep influence on him as we can readily perceive in some of his early works, particularly his portraits.

In 1620 he travelled to London for a brief period to work in the court of King James I. Shortly afterwards, in 1621, he made a trip to Italy, travelling to Genoa, Rome, Florence and Venice, where he studied Titian’s work. After a brief sojourn in Sicily, he returned to Genoa. There he was consecrated as the main portrait painter of the local aristocracy. With a classicist composition, his portraits display the wealth of the clothing of the most notable Genoese citizens as well as the city’s striking architecture.

Upon his return to Antwerp, he became official painter of Archduchess Isabella, and the portrait painter of members of her court. From 1628 to 1630 he devoted himself mostly to religious painting, depicting subject matters defined by a deep spirituality in line with the Catholic renewal imposed by the Counterreformation and his profound religious fervour.

In 1632 he moved to London, where he would hold the post of painter to King Charles I until his death. He received many commissions from the royal family and the London aristocracy. Equally interesting, albeit less known, are his landscapes and watercolours from that time. His influence in England was deep and lasting, from where it spread to many other European countries.