Frans Wouters (1612–1659) was a Flemish Baroque painter who translated the monumental Baroque style of Peter Paul Rubens into the small context of cabinet paintings.[1]
Biography
Wouters was born in Lier, Belgium. He was first apprenticed to Pieter van Avont in Antwerp in 1629 but broke his contract to move to the workshop of Rubens[2] in 1634. He became a master in the Guild of St. Luke the following year.[3] He participated, under the direction of Rubens, in the decoration of the city of Antwerp on the occasion of the Joyous Entry of the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria in 1635. He spent the 1630s as court painter to Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II. He was sent as an ambassador of Ferdinand II to England in 1637.[4] The following year, he became the painter of the Prince of Wales, the future Charles II of England. In England, Wouters would certainly have had the opportunity to meet his compatriot Antony van Dyck, who was at that time the court painter of Charles I of England.[1] His later works, especially those made after 1648 when he was working for the Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, show an increasing influence of Anthony van Dyck.[1] He returned in 1641 to Antwerp, where he collaborated again with Pieter Van Avont whilst also becoming involved in the art market. His marriage with Maria Doncker, daughter of the treasurer of Antwerp in 1644 provided him with a substantial fortune. In 1648, he became dean of the Guild of St. Luke. He died in Antwerp in 1659 from an accidental pistol shot.
References
| Persondata |
|---|
| Name |
Wouters, Frans |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
painter |
| Date of birth |
1612 |
| Place of birth |
Lier |
| Date of death |
1659 |
| Place of death |
Antwerp |
