Copy after "Rubens, Helena Fourment (1614–1673), and Their Son Frans (1633–1678)"

Art Historical Context

This delicate miniature on vellum by Bernard Lens is a faithful copy of Peter Paul Rubens' intimate family portrait featuring the Baroque master's second wife, Helena Fourment, and their young son Frans. Rubens, a leading Flemish artist of the 17th century, often depicted his family with warmth and vitality, capturing Helena's youthful beauty and Frans's cherubic innocence alongside a lively parrot—a symbol of exoticism and affection in Baroque still life. Painted during Rubens' later years, the original reflects his personal life after marrying the teenage Helena in 1630, blending portraiture...