Portrait History #5

Peter Paul Rubens and Frans hals

Peter Paul Rubens and Frans Hals a short history of these artists.

When Holbien had left the German speaking countries painting there began to decline to a frightening extent, and when Holbien died the arts were in a similar plight in England. The one northern artist to come most directly into contact with the roman atmosphere of Caravaggio's days was the Flemish painter called Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) Who came to Rome when he was twenty three years old. Rubens admired the way in which Carracci and his school revived the painting of classical stories and myths. When Rubens returned to Antwerp in 1608 he was a man of thirty one, who learned everything there was to be learned.

He was confident that his brushwork could quickly impart life to anything, and he was right. for that was the greatest secret of Peter Paul Ruben's art-His magic skill in making anything alive, intensely and joyfully alive. (Peter Paul Ruben's) The first outstanding master of free Holland was Frans Hals (1580-1666) was forced to lead a precarious existence. Frans Hals belonged to the same generation as Ruben's. We know little about his life except that he frequently owed money to his baker or shoemaker. In his old age-he lived to be over eighty - He was granted a small pittance by the municipal almshouse whose board of governors he painted.

Here we Show one of his magnificent portraits that brought little money to Frans Hals and his family. Compared to other portraits it looks like a snapshot.