The high reputation which Rubens had now acquir ed, and the wealth and honours which flowed in upon him with a full channel, soon excited the envy of his rivals. His success was ascribed to the skill of his pupils, to Jordaens, Van Uden, and Snyders; and he was accused by the ignorant and ill employed, of want of invention in his art. Rubens held all these marks of jealousy in the contempt which they always merit, without attempting to resist them. On the contrary, he relieved the wants of those that abused him, he procured employment to those who envied his success, and he answered the charge of-poverty of invention by the finest productions in every branch of his art.
His fame had now reached the French capital, and he was requested by Mary de Medicis, queen of Henry IV. of France, to ornament the galleries of the palace of the Luxembourg. In these paintings, which have been so much admired, he has depicted in allegorical designs the leading events in the life of that princess. This series of compositions, crowded with figures, were executed in three years, amid other numerous occupations. They were all painted at Antwerp, ex cepting two which he executed at Paris in 1623, when he came to arrange the whole in the gallery.
During this visit to Paris, Rubens became acquaint ed with the Duke of Buckingham, who was then on his way to Madrid with Prince Charles. The duke was so much struck with his talents and accomplish ments, that he considered him well qualified to explain to the Archduke Albert and his wife Isabella, the causes of the misunderstanding which had taken place between England and Spain. In the discharge of this duty Rubens exhibited such prudence and tact, that Isabella despatched him as envoy to the court of Ma drid to propose terms of peace. Rubens arrived in that capital in 1628, and was received with much dis tinction by Philip IV. After performing his political mission with success, Rubens was called upon to ex ercise his pictorial talents. Philip gave Rubens a com mission for five pictures for the church of a convent of Carmelites, which his minister the Duke of Olivares, had just founded at Loechcs, near Madrid. Rubens speedily executed these elaborate pictures in his best style. The first was an allegorical representation of the triumph of the new law, which was personified by religion in a triumphal car, drawn by five angels, while others bore the cross; while infidelity and ignorance, under the form of slaves bound in chains, followed the triumphal equipage. The picture which was a com panion to this, represents Melchisedeck offering Abra ham bread and the tenth of his spoils. The other two pictures represent the four doctors of the church and the four evangelists, with the usual emblems. The king likewise engaged him to paint eight large pic tures for the great saloon of the palace at Madrid. The subjects of the pictures are, the Rape of the Sa bines; the battle between the Romans and Sabines; the Bath of Diana, Perseus, and Andromeda; the Rape of Helen; the Judgment of Paris; the Triumph of Bac chus; and Juno, Minerva, and Venus; and they are justly ranked among the best of his productions. He
likewise painted the martyrdom of St. Andrew for the church dedicated to that apostle, and a large portrait of the king on horseback. The king was so much gratified with these displays of Rubens' talent, that he conferred upon him the honour of knighthood, and presented him with a golden key as a gentleman of his chamber.
Upon his return to Brussels in 1629, he was des patched to England by the Infanta, to sound the dis position of the government on the subject of peace. As this mission was entirely of a private nature, Ru bens concealed the powers of negotiating with which he was intrusted. He was received with much respect by Charles, who engaged him to adorn the ceiling of the banqueting house of Whitehall, upon which he painted the apotheosis of king James. The king paid frequent visits to Rubens, when he was engaged in the work; and, on one of these occasions, the artist availed himself of a proper opportunity of alluding to the sub ject of a peace with Spain. Having found that the En glish monarch was not averse to listen to the subject, Rubens produced his credentials; and some members of the council having been appointed to conduct the negotiation on the part of England, a peace was speedi ly concluded. Rubens was honoured by Charles with the rank of knighthood, on the 2 ist July 1630, and he afterwards returned to Flanders, where he was receiv ed with the honours so justly due to him, both as a diplomatist and an artist. Here he continued to enjoy his reputation, and to add to the number of his works. He married his second wife Helena Foment, who was a distinguished beauty, and who was said to be of great use to him in the execution of his female figures. When Rubens had reached the 58th year of his age, his frame, naturally strong, began to give way to repeat ed attacks of the gout, which compelled him to aban don his larger undertakings, and to confine himself entirely to easel painting. He continued, however, to enjoy sufficient health to enable him to continue his professional labours till the year 1640, when he died on the 30th of May, in the 63d year of his age. His remains were interred with great pomp in the church of St. James, at Antwerp, beneath the altar of a pri vate chapel of his own, which he had ornamented with a beautiful painting. His wife and children erected a monument to his memory, with a Latin epitaph, set ting forth his virtues and his talents. He was succeed ed by his son Albert, (born in 16140 as secretary to the counsel in Flanders. This young man, though he did not inherit the peculiar talents of his father, was the author of several works on coins and medals, and other subjects of antiquarian research.
For an account of the peculiar style of Rubens, and criticisms upon his principal works, we must refer the reader to our article on PAINTING.