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
Today's artist without a (known) birthday: Emanuel de Witte of Alkmaar. Painter of churches, markets, portraits. All-around great artist! Here, Nieuwe Kerk in Delft w/ tomb of William the Silent, 1656.
November 25, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Today's artist without a (known) birthday: Emanuel de Witte of Alkmaar. Painter of churches, markets, portraits. All-around great artist! Here, Nieuwe Kerk in Delft w/ tomb of William the Silent, 1656.
Mother has been reading poetry & now baby is asleep. Excellent plan! Will follow it myself. Thanks to Nicolaes Maes, whose day was today.
November 25, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Mother has been reading poetry & now baby is asleep. Excellent plan! Will follow it myself. Thanks to Nicolaes Maes, whose day was today.
The maid's asleep. The cat is stealing the dinner. The housewife seems very amused by it all, given that her dinner party upstairs is about to be ruined. By Nicolaes Maes, whose day is today, in 1655.
November 25, 2025 at 1:16 AM
The maid's asleep. The cat is stealing the dinner. The housewife seems very amused by it all, given that her dinner party upstairs is about to be ruined. By Nicolaes Maes, whose day is today, in 1655.
Young girl posed as hunter in the 1670s. Was dubious about holding dead bird but daddy insisted. Dog thought the idea was excellent! Painted by Nicolaes Maes, whose day is today.
November 25, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Young girl posed as hunter in the 1670s. Was dubious about holding dead bird but daddy insisted. Dog thought the idea was excellent! Painted by Nicolaes Maes, whose day is today.
Two housewives chatting through the window in 1655. One is about to lose her salmon steaks to a very fortunate dog! By Nicolaes Maes, whose day is today.
November 24, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Two housewives chatting through the window in 1655. One is about to lose her salmon steaks to a very fortunate dog! By Nicolaes Maes, whose day is today.
Don’t wake the baby! Such a nice moment of family life in 1650s Holland as depicted by Nicolaes Maes, reflected in the mirror busily painting away. Today is his day.
November 24, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Don’t wake the baby! Such a nice moment of family life in 1650s Holland as depicted by Nicolaes Maes, reflected in the mirror busily painting away. Today is his day.
Four children as Ceres, Ganymede, Diana & a cherub. Several never forgave their parents for this indignity. By Nicolaes Maes, 1673.
November 24, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Four children as Ceres, Ganymede, Diana & a cherub. Several never forgave their parents for this indignity. By Nicolaes Maes, 1673.
Cute Baby Pix of the Past: sitting in his highchair, wearing his bumper, contemplating next move in his campaign to annoy lace-making mum. Painted in 1656 by Nicolaes Maes, whose day is today.
November 24, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Cute Baby Pix of the Past: sitting in his highchair, wearing his bumper, contemplating next move in his campaign to annoy lace-making mum. Painted in 1656 by Nicolaes Maes, whose day is today.
Youth, with fond memories of warmer times: boys swimming in 1655, painted by Nicolas Maes, whose day is today.
November 24, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Youth, with fond memories of warmer times: boys swimming in 1655, painted by Nicolas Maes, whose day is today.
Maid flirts with her fellow, cat steals the dinner, housewife escapes boring party upstairs to enjoy the disorder of her own household. Great scene from 1657 by Nicolas Maes, whose day is today.
November 24, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Maid flirts with her fellow, cat steals the dinner, housewife escapes boring party upstairs to enjoy the disorder of her own household. Great scene from 1657 by Nicolas Maes, whose day is today.
Died (alas!) on this day in 1693, in Amsterdam, Nicolaes Maes. Marvelous painter of daily life and portraits. Here by himself in 1685, as a famous old dude.
November 24, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Died (alas!) on this day in 1693, in Amsterdam, Nicolaes Maes. Marvelous painter of daily life and portraits. Here by himself in 1685, as a famous old dude.
Feast for happy rabbits among the vegetable harvest, painted by Jan van Kessel the Younger, whose day is today. Bunny Thanksgiving special!
November 24, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Feast for happy rabbits among the vegetable harvest, painted by Jan van Kessel the Younger, whose day is today. Bunny Thanksgiving special!
Small men, large dog. By Jan van Kessel the Younger, after his move to Spain where dwarves were always popular. Today is his day.
November 23, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Small men, large dog. By Jan van Kessel the Younger, after his move to Spain where dwarves were always popular. Today is his day.
Butterflies. Caterpillars. Currants. By Jan van Kessel the Younger, who was born on on this day in 1654.
November 23, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Butterflies. Caterpillars. Currants. By Jan van Kessel the Younger, who was born on on this day in 1654.
Abundance of fruit, plus monkeys, squirrel, & guinea pigs. All the animals are alive because it's Jan van Kessel II's pantry, and today is his day.
November 23, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Abundance of fruit, plus monkeys, squirrel, & guinea pigs. All the animals are alive because it's Jan van Kessel II's pantry, and today is his day.
23 A Spanish family in their elegantly abundant garden in 1679. Plus dogs. Painted by Jan van Kessel II of Antwerp, whose day is today.
November 23, 2025 at 5:14 PM
23 A Spanish family in their elegantly abundant garden in 1679. Plus dogs. Painted by Jan van Kessel II of Antwerp, whose day is today.
Cats are in the pantry, ready to feast on seafood. By Jan van Kessel the younger (great-great-grandson of Pieter Bruegel) whose day is today.
November 23, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Cats are in the pantry, ready to feast on seafood. By Jan van Kessel the younger (great-great-grandson of Pieter Bruegel) whose day is today.
Born OTD in 1654, in Antwerp, Jan van Kessel the Younger. Like his father, a painter of bugs, beasts, & other naturalia. Occasionally humans too. Here, butterflies, shells, etc in 1680.
November 23, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Born OTD in 1654, in Antwerp, Jan van Kessel the Younger. Like his father, a painter of bugs, beasts, & other naturalia. Occasionally humans too. Here, butterflies, shells, etc in 1680.
Teaser: whose fat cat?
November 23, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Teaser: whose fat cat?
Willem van den Kerckhoven, his wife, their many children, and their several dogs in 1652. Plus horse arriving late for the picture. By Jan Mijtens, whose day has been today.
November 23, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Willem van den Kerckhoven, his wife, their many children, and their several dogs in 1652. Plus horse arriving late for the picture. By Jan Mijtens, whose day has been today.
Beautiful portrait of a girl picking grapes, painted by Jan Mytens of The Hague, whose day is today.
November 22, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Beautiful portrait of a girl picking grapes, painted by Jan Mytens of The Hague, whose day is today.
Maria of Orange, making so many dreadful fashion errors in assembling her hunting gear, 1665. Hunting! The mind boggles. By Jan Mijtens, whose day is also today.
November 22, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Maria of Orange, making so many dreadful fashion errors in assembling her hunting gear, 1665. Hunting! The mind boggles. By Jan Mijtens, whose day is also today.
Charles I in 1631. Just an ordinary super-well-dressed guy! As in this portrait by Daniel Mytens.
November 22, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Charles I in 1631. Just an ordinary super-well-dressed guy! As in this portrait by Daniel Mytens.
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.