Dr. Peter Paul Rubens
@peterpaulrubens.bsky.social
All-around genius working for peace, beauty, and intelligent thought.
IRL: professor of art history. Occasionally write things about Rubens. Also Dutch art, the Bruegel family, and Elizabethan visual culture.
Reader of many novels. DC & Amsterdam.
IRL: professor of art history. Occasionally write things about Rubens. Also Dutch art, the Bruegel family, and Elizabethan visual culture.
Reader of many novels. DC & Amsterdam.
Pinned
James Hamilton, Earl of Arran & later Duke of Hamilton, aged 17 in 1623. Be sure to check out his A+ red hose! Painted by Daniel Mytens, whose day is today.
November 22, 2025 at 6:29 PM
James Hamilton, Earl of Arran & later Duke of Hamilton, aged 17 in 1623. Be sure to check out his A+ red hose! Painted by Daniel Mytens, whose day is today.
Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, giving a little art history lesson in his magnificent sculpture gallery in 1618. Portrait by Daniel Mytens, whose day is today.
November 22, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, giving a little art history lesson in his magnificent sculpture gallery in 1618. Portrait by Daniel Mytens, whose day is today.
Little Lady Mary Fielding, Countess of Aran, in 1620. Loves her doggie! Both painted by Daniel Mytens, whose day is today.
November 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Little Lady Mary Fielding, Countess of Aran, in 1620. Loves her doggie! Both painted by Daniel Mytens, whose day is today.
A Bonus day: TWO birthdayless artists! Daniel Mytens, mostly of London, and his nephew Jan Mytens, mostly of The Hague. Here Handsome Dan's self-portrait from 1630. Historical hottie du jour!
November 22, 2025 at 12:13 PM
A Bonus day: TWO birthdayless artists! Daniel Mytens, mostly of London, and his nephew Jan Mytens, mostly of The Hague. Here Handsome Dan's self-portrait from 1630. Historical hottie du jour!
Teaser: whose dog?
November 22, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Teaser: whose dog?
When you just can't get enough of the gold: polyptych of the enthroned Madonna and saints, 1410, by Lorenzo Monaco. It's been his day today.
November 22, 2025 at 2:07 AM
When you just can't get enough of the gold: polyptych of the enthroned Madonna and saints, 1410, by Lorenzo Monaco. It's been his day today.
Saint Benedict restores a strangely miniature monk to life after he was crushed by a falling wall. From the predella of Lorenzo Monaco's Coronation of the Virgin altarpiece.
November 22, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Saint Benedict restores a strangely miniature monk to life after he was crushed by a falling wall. From the predella of Lorenzo Monaco's Coronation of the Virgin altarpiece.
Saint Jerome in claustrophobic study taking a moment to commune w/ his very cute lion, entrant in Great Pets of History contest. Painted by Lorenzo Monaco, whose is today.
November 22, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Saint Jerome in claustrophobic study taking a moment to commune w/ his very cute lion, entrant in Great Pets of History contest. Painted by Lorenzo Monaco, whose is today.
The combined splendors of gold and ultramarine: Lorenzo Monaco's extraordinary Coronation of the Virgin for the high altar of Santa Maria degli Angeli, 1414.
November 21, 2025 at 9:51 PM
The combined splendors of gold and ultramarine: Lorenzo Monaco's extraordinary Coronation of the Virgin for the high altar of Santa Maria degli Angeli, 1414.
Noah, with his ark, which frankly does not look very seaworthy but OK, painter-monk Lorenzo Monaco was not a sailor. He painted this in 1408 and today is his day.
November 21, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Noah, with his ark, which frankly does not look very seaworthy but OK, painter-monk Lorenzo Monaco was not a sailor. He painted this in 1408 and today is his day.
Fantastic in every way, especially if you love gold skies: Adoration of the Magi by Lorenzo Monaco, 1422. Today is his day.
November 21, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Fantastic in every way, especially if you love gold skies: Adoration of the Magi by Lorenzo Monaco, 1422. Today is his day.
Madonna of humility, 1418. A+ for mother & child looking together at us, C- for mom’s mini-breast. Well, Lorenzo Monaco was a monk! It’s his day.
November 21, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Madonna of humility, 1418. A+ for mother & child looking together at us, C- for mom’s mini-breast. Well, Lorenzo Monaco was a monk! It’s his day.
Saint Jerome was trying hard to be penitent but the cheap prefab cave from IKEA was cramping his style. By Lorenzo Monaco, whose day is today.
November 21, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Saint Jerome was trying hard to be penitent but the cheap prefab cave from IKEA was cramping his style. By Lorenzo Monaco, whose day is today.
Golden Annunciation, witnessed by a select cast of saints. Triptych for the Badia Monastery by Lorenzo Monaco. Today is his day.
November 21, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Golden Annunciation, witnessed by a select cast of saints. Triptych for the Badia Monastery by Lorenzo Monaco. Today is his day.
Today's artist without a (known) birthday: Lorenzo Monaco (or, Lorenzo the Monk). Here, Nativity from 1406, w/ ox & ass grumbling over their interrupted sleep. Know how they feel!
November 21, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Today's artist without a (known) birthday: Lorenzo Monaco (or, Lorenzo the Monk). Here, Nativity from 1406, w/ ox & ass grumbling over their interrupted sleep. Know how they feel!
Just looking wistfully out over the landscape: a piebald horse in 1654, painted by Paulus Potter. Today was his 400th birthday.
November 21, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Just looking wistfully out over the landscape: a piebald horse in 1654, painted by Paulus Potter. Today was his 400th birthday.
Orpheus, playing music in 1650 for a wonderful collection of animals including the exotic, domestic, ordinary, and mythical. Lion really loving the concert! By Paulus Potter, 400 years old today.
November 21, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Orpheus, playing music in 1650 for a wonderful collection of animals including the exotic, domestic, ordinary, and mythical. Lion really loving the concert! By Paulus Potter, 400 years old today.
Beautiful autumn day so riders & hounds are ready to depart for hunt. I'm sure they will fail to kill anything, given the sentiments of painter Paulus Potter.
November 20, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Beautiful autumn day so riders & hounds are ready to depart for hunt. I'm sure they will fail to kill anything, given the sentiments of painter Paulus Potter.
Swimmers and livestock share the implausibly reflective water in an idyllic if unhygienic summertime landscape by Paulus Potter, 1648. He was born on this day in 1625.
November 20, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Swimmers and livestock share the implausibly reflective water in an idyllic if unhygienic summertime landscape by Paulus Potter, 1648. He was born on this day in 1625.
Monument to the glories of livestock: a young bull, and his friends, in 1647. By Paulus Potter, who was born on this day in 1625.
November 20, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Monument to the glories of livestock: a young bull, and his friends, in 1647. By Paulus Potter, who was born on this day in 1625.
Big bold cat tormenting prissy little dogs. Painted in 1652 by Paulus Potter, whose day is today.
November 20, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Big bold cat tormenting prissy little dogs. Painted in 1652 by Paulus Potter, whose day is today.
In this amazing assemblage, hunters barbarously slaughter wildlife until, in center, wildlife turns on them and metes out well-deserved, gruesome justice. Painted in 1647 by Paulus Potter, whose day is today.
November 20, 2025 at 2:47 PM
In this amazing assemblage, hunters barbarously slaughter wildlife until, in center, wildlife turns on them and metes out well-deserved, gruesome justice. Painted in 1647 by Paulus Potter, whose day is today.
Good morning! Driving the cattle out to pasture early on a windy day, 1653. Painted by Paulus Potter, who was born on this day in 1625.
November 20, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Good morning! Driving the cattle out to pasture early on a windy day, 1653. Painted by Paulus Potter, who was born on this day in 1625.
Born on this day in 1625, Paulus Potter, who painted mostly animals w/ specialty in cattle. Here portrayed as a busy yet dashing artist by Bartholomeus van der Helst in 1654.
November 20, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Born on this day in 1625, Paulus Potter, who painted mostly animals w/ specialty in cattle. Here portrayed as a busy yet dashing artist by Bartholomeus van der Helst in 1654.
Looking right at you from 17th-century Bruges: a young girl, painted by Jacob van Oost. Today was his day.
November 20, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Looking right at you from 17th-century Bruges: a young girl, painted by Jacob van Oost. Today was his day.