Rubenshouse, Antwerp

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For many years in the seventeenth century, this house in the center of Antwerp was the residence and workplace of the Flemish painter and diplomat Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640).

In 1631 Rubens hosted a prominent visitor here at his home, namely Marie de' Medici, the wife of the assassinated King Henri IV of France and the mother of Louis XIII. Presumably it was during this visit that Marie de' Medici commissioned Rubens to paint a series of monumental allegorical pictures giving her version of her life and hard times.

Twenty-four of these paintings are now on display in the Louvre in Paris, as I have described in my tip Ruebens and Marie de' Medici in the Louvre.

The Rubens house in Antwerp is now a museum devoted to his life and work, and also the work of some of his students and assistants.

Second photo: According to the museum’s website, the garden of the Rubens House was “completely re-laid” in the 1940s. “For the large decorative elements, such as the fountain, the wooden doors and the pergola, the garden architect was able to refer to paintings of Rubens and his surroundings.”

Third photo: Velo-Antwerpen bike station 023 Rubenshuis.

Peter Paul Rubens lived between 1577 and 1640. This Italian-style villa was designed and built by him and served as home and studio for most of his adult life. The Baroque garden that he also planned was interesting, but seemed neglected. Of course, that's because I'm not used to the effects caused by the type of winter weather Antwerpen has. Still it was a nice garden to relax in.

Tour the House, Museum, Garden and visit the small shop.

Open Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 am-5:00pm
Might be partially closed for VIP visits.

Peter Paul Rubens, the celebrated artist, bought the 'Rubenshuis' in 1610 and immediately set about changing it into an Italian Palazzo.
By the late 18th century it had changed radically and by the time the city of Antwerp had acquired it in 1937 it had a major renovation job on its hands.
In a glass pavilion opposite the entrance is the ticket office and bookshop. It costs €8 to visit the museum (Aug 2012) but photography isn't allowed inside and you have to leave your bags in a locker.
Rubens both lived and worked here but if you're hoping to see a lot of the master's works you'll be disappointed because virtually everything he produced here is scattered across the world.
The studio where he worked though does have half a dozen or so paintings attributed to the artist. The rest of the rooms have a variety of different artifacts on display such as sculptures, furniture and paintings from other artists.
If the interior doesn't inspire you then visit the garden where the Portico and Pavilion are the only remaining features left from Rubens original palace.
It's not a large house and you shouldn't need an inordinate amount of time to visit the Rubenshuis.

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A year after marrying'Isabella Brant' in 1609,Rubens began construction on an Italian-style villa on the then'Vaartstraat' (now the Wapper).Rubens designed the building himself,based on studies of Italian Renaissance palace architecture that also formed the basis of his Palazzi di Genoa.The layout included his home,studio,a monumental portico and an interior courtyard.The courtyard opens into a Baroque garden that he also planned.
In the adjacent studio he and his students executed many of the works for which Rubens is famous.He had established a well organised workshop that met the demands of his active studio,including large commisions from England,France,Spain and other places.He spent most of his life in the palace until his death,the city bought it in 1937 and opened it up to the public in 1946.The house is open 10am till 5pm everyday except mondays.
The ticket office is across the street,entry is 12 Euros,there are lockers for bags which are not allowed in the house.No photos inside but can be taken of Courtyard and gardens.

Taking photographs inside the house is not allowed. I took this picture without a flash and no one seemed to notice. Everyone was too busy taking care of the VIP's, I imagine.

We saw very little of the insides of the house, though we were warned of before entering. So, I didn't get to see his studio or the Art Room, but we did see the dining room the courtyard and porch in front and the city garden in back.

Before coming here I hadn't ever noticed Rubens as an artist. The style had never been my favorite--until I went to a museum in Skagens where I learned to appreciate this style.

Many renowned painters worked in Antwerp during the city's heyday but Peter Paul Rubens is undoubtedly the most famous of them. The palace-like residence and studio where Rubens worked and lived from 1616 until his death in 1640 is now one of Antwerp's most visited museums.
Almost all of the works Rubens and his pupils created in the Rubens House (Rubenshuis) have been dispersed over major museums across the whole world, but there is still an impressive collection well worth the visit. Besides paintings from the maestro himself you will find other works of art and furniture from the 17th century as well as paintings from his pupils including works by Jacob Jordaens and Anthony Van Dyck.

Many renowned painters worked in Antwerp during the city's heyday but Peter Paul Rubens is undoubtedly the most famous of them. The palace-like residence and studio where Rubens worked and lived from 1616 until his death in 1640 is now one of Antwerp's most visited museums.
Almost all of the works Rubens and his pupils created in the Rubens House (Rubenshuis) have been dispersed over major museums across the whole world, but there is still an impressive collection well worth the visit. Besides paintings from the maestro himself you will find other works of art and furniture from the 17th century as well as paintings from his pupils including works by Jacob Jordaens and Anthony Van Dyck.

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The highlight of Antwerp is the Rubenshuis, the home of Peter Paul Rubens and his collection of work both as a painter and an architect as well as the family man. The gardens are famed (although being there in February, sadly, little was in evidence).

Found in a side street (Wapper) in the centre of the city, he bought the house following his visit to Italy (1600-1608) and moved in in 1616, where he resided until his death in 1640. It is regarded as one of the most elegant of Renaissance-Baroque Houses in the Low Countries.

It is mostly a reconstruction of what is assumed to have been the layout of the house, along with a number of his art works and other personal belongings. It is, nevertheless, a magnificent memory to the most famous of all painters from the region.

Open, Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-6pm.

Antwerp's most famous resident is undoubtedly Pieter Paul Rubens. The painter's, and diplomat's, spirit is present all throughout town. His statue is at the 'Groenplaats' and he was buried at the St Paulus kerk. Many churches are enriched with his paintings. The Visit the , the place where the painter lived and worked, still exudes the grandeur of the height of the Baroque in Antwerp. In the decorative restored Rockoxhuis, Rubens has a substantial presence, together with Jordaens, Matsys and his pupil Van Dyck.

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After Rubens' death in 1640, his second wife, Helena Fourment, continued to live in this house for five years. Then, it was rented to Lord Cavendish, a confidant of King Charles I of England, who established a Spanish riding academy. In 1660, the heirs of Rubens sold the premises. It was then occupied by various owners. As from the second half of the 18th century, the Rubenshuis underwent various alterations and renovations, to pass into oblivion.

During the 19th century however, there was growing awareness that the residence should be converted into a monument. Following long administrative procedures, the dwelling was expropriated 1 August 1937 and renovation began. The public had to wait until 21 July 1946 before they were allowed in. Today, the Rubenshuis has achieved the aura of a pearl of magnificent cultural heritage.

Reduced ticket was 4 Euro.