Anthony van Dyck

Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish painter who became the most fashionable portrait artist in Europe. Born in Antwerp in 1599, he was a child prodigy and worked as a leading assistant to the great Peter Paul Rubens before setting out on his own. He is best known for his elegant, refined portraits, above all those he painted as court artist to King Charles I of England.

He gave his aristocratic sitters an air of relaxed grace and dignity that flattered them and shaped royal portraiture for generations. His silvery color, flowing fabrics, and confident poses influenced British portrait painters for over a century. Van Dyck's sophisticated style made him one of the most imitated portraitists in the history of art.