After three centuries, the doors of Peter Paul Rubens' plush art factory reopened in Antwerp last week. It had been completely restored and made into a museum. Reopened too was the question of who painted Rubens' pictures.
Rubens, one of the 17th Century's astute businessmen, used to jump out of bed at 4 a.m., always had a full day of it. Along with his art, he occupied himself in learning seven languages, riding his Spanish horses every afternoon, and discovering everything there was to know about ancient sculpture, cameos, and Italian architecture. He crowned a career of half-secret diplomacy (interlarded with profitable...
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