The former house and studio of renowned Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, Rubenshuis is now a museum that is one of the most visited attractions in the gorgeous city of Antwerp. Rubens was an admirer of Italian Renaissance palace architecture and designed the building himself as an Italian-style villa. Its construction work started in 1609 and the layout of the complex included a courtyard opening to a Baroque garden, in addition to a monumental portico, a studio, and the main house. Rubenshuis was opened as a museum in 1946 after extensive restoration work.
Visitors can see numerous artworks and paintings by Rubens as well as other contemporary artists in the museum. Adam and Eve is one of the notable paintings by Rubens that is displayed here and so is a self-portrait that he painted when he was around fifty. One can also appreciate the beautiful lineup of period furniture in the museum. A tour of the painter’s studio will help you understand how he created his masterpieces with a small army of helpers, comprising of assistants and fellow artists all of whom worked in the maestro’s style.
After touring the museum, visitors can drop in at the Rubenianum, which is a building located at the rear part of the garden. It is a center devoted to the study of Rubens.