Until the day of his death in 1640, Peter Paul Rubens lived hugely. He painted more pictures|than any other artist of the era, created 'hundreds of masterpieces. Portrait commissions and diplomatic missions made him a familiar figure at the courts of Europe, but he could most often be found at his mansion in Antwerp, surrounded by assistants and works-in-progress, plus his eight children, hunting dogs, peacocks, Spanish horses, ancient sculptures and cameos. "His life from one end to the other," said a French critic, "is one of those which reconcile us with life. In everything, he is a man who does...
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