Anthony van Dyck 1599–1641

By Leila Allan

Anthony van Dyck, Portrait of Mary Hill, Lady Killigrew, 1638, Oil on Canvas, 1065 x 833 mm, Tate Gallery, London.

Anthony van Dyck was born on the 22nd of March 1599 in Antwerp and is considered one of the greatest seventeenth-century Flemish painters, he is considered to be almost equal to Rubens who is the most venerated artist from this period. While he was born and worked in Antwerp, he is most known for his portraits of Charles I of England. Van Dyck is remembered primarily for his portraits, but he also engaged in history paintings and produced etchings. With his artistic capabilities identified from an early age, van Dyck apprenticed with the painter Hendrik van Balen at just ten years old. The artist then began to work for Rubens, quickly becoming one of his brightest pupils, quite the position considering Rubens’s widespread acclaim at the time, an impressive reputation that persists to this day. As Rubens’s pupil, he aided the production of many significant commissions, learning a great deal from his esteemed master. During these years, van Dyck worked in the style of Rubens; in a number of cases this has made it difficult for modern analysts to distinguish between the two. It is also claimed that van Dyck attempted to imitate the lifestyle of Rubens, fashioning his existence as an artist after his master. Van Dyck established an independent workshop before even entering the Antwerp Saint Luke’s Guild in 1618.

In 1620 van Dyck travelled to England for work in the court of King James I. This trip was short lived, swiftly returning to Antwerp for a short period and then traveling to Italy where he engaged with the work of Titian, which would have an enduring influence on his work. Titian’s paintings would also make up a significant proportion of van Dyck’s personal collection. Returning to Antwerp after his travels, van Dyck became an established portrait painter for wealthy and aristocratic patrons. He achieved particular success when Rubens had left Antwerp due to diminished competition. Rubens quickly became and remained the most eminent painter in Antwerp, a reputation difficult to rival in terms of commissions. Van Dyck settled in England for several years working for the English court and marrying an English woman Mary Ruthven in 1939 whom he had one daughter with. After this, van Dyck continued to travel between Antwerp, Paris, and London, where he eventually settled and died on the 9th of December in 1641.

Bibliography

“Anthony van Dyck.” Art UK.

https://artuk.org/discover/artists/van-dyck-anthony-15991641

“Sir Anthony van Dyck.” National Gallery of Art.

 https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.1259.html

“Anthony van Dyck.” The National Gallery. https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/anthony-van-dyck