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De meester van de schaduw: Pieter Paul Rubens, geheim agent
Describes the career of Pieter Paul Rubens as a diplomat. Dutch translation from the original by Mark Lamster.
350 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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About the author
Mark Lamster
7 books15 followersMark Lamster is the award-winning architecture critic of the Dallas Morning News, a professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, and a Loeb Fellow of the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He lives in Dallas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
August 24, 2020
4,5 que redondeo a 5.
Delicioso y entretenidísimo.
Sigo completando mi visión artístico-social del siglo XVII, y en este caso tocaba leer sobre uno de los artistas más olvidados, malinterpretados y peor entendidos de esa época por el público de la actualidad, y el caso es que por todos sitios que leas sobre Rubens te acaban diciendo que es importantísimo conocer su actividad diplomática para entender su obra. Y hete aquí que este es de los pocos libros al respecto, así que nada, a leerlo.
Pero no os engañéis por la temática; El estilo y ritmo del autor -y de la traducción, que me ha encantado por léxico y fluidez- y lo que nos cuenta hace que , a pesar de ser un libro de historia un poco novelesco (del estilo de Tom Holland, por poner un referente), se lea como si estuviéramos leyendo una mezcla de Dumas y Le Carré.
Por este libro pasan Felipe IV, Carlos I, Richelieu, Buckingham, infantas casaderas, la peste, asedios, hay batallas, intrigas, viajes imposibles a caballo, traiciones, y arte.
Y aunque un poco adornado, parece que todo es más o menos verosimil, y el autor hace que entendamos las guerras en Flandes, el uso del arte como moneda de prestigio, la política Inglesa o Francesa al respecto, y a nuestro Pasmado Rey Planeta, perdido en su inseguridad política, pero consumido por su pasión artística.
Y todo ello escrito con un fino humor, muy sutil, y una ironía que se disfruta mucho.
Por poner algún ejemplo de lo que se cuenta, me encanta la historia sobre cuando Carlos I de Inglaterra tiene que decidir si enviar refuerzos militares al Duque de Buckingham -que a la sazón es probable que fuera el amante de su padre, Jacobo I- que andaba asediando a los Franceses, o comprar la colección de arte del duque de Mantua, ya que no tenía pasta para todo, optando por lo que todos hubiéramos hecho y dejando a Buckingham sin sus refuerzos, abandonado a su suerte y expuesto a una retirada terrible, lo que años más tarde llevará a un veterano herido de dicha batalla a apuñalar y matar al propio Buckingham como acto de despecho.
De ese rey cuenta también como se enamora de la infanta española por un retrato, años antes, y se viene a España, sin ser invitado y de incógnito, para intentar "enamorarla"...
O como el duque de Mantua mandaba a sus pintores, Rubens entre otros, a recorrer Europa pintando a las mujeres más bellas para su "gabinete de bellezas" y que no se perdía una orgía...
Todo muy loco y rocambolesco.
Este es de los libros en los que miras el reloj a las 2 de la mañana, y te prometes leer sólo hasta el final del capítulo, y cuando vuelves a mirar son las 3, y ya estás jodido...
La media estrella que se podría quedar en el tintero es porque hay unas 15 páginas en las que el autor da un poco de más detalle del necesario sobre una parte de la negociación con Inglaterra y Flandes y se hace un poco más denso, que no aburrido.
En resumen, que se podría leer casi como un novelón, y que se disfruta mucho, más todavía si conoces la pintura de Rubens, y algo de contexto del asombroso siglo XVII.
Para los frikis del arte y/o de la historia debería ser un "must".
Delicioso y entretenidísimo.
Sigo completando mi visión artístico-social del siglo XVII, y en este caso tocaba leer sobre uno de los artistas más olvidados, malinterpretados y peor entendidos de esa época por el público de la actualidad, y el caso es que por todos sitios que leas sobre Rubens te acaban diciendo que es importantísimo conocer su actividad diplomática para entender su obra. Y hete aquí que este es de los pocos libros al respecto, así que nada, a leerlo.
Pero no os engañéis por la temática; El estilo y ritmo del autor -y de la traducción, que me ha encantado por léxico y fluidez- y lo que nos cuenta hace que , a pesar de ser un libro de historia un poco novelesco (del estilo de Tom Holland, por poner un referente), se lea como si estuviéramos leyendo una mezcla de Dumas y Le Carré.
Por este libro pasan Felipe IV, Carlos I, Richelieu, Buckingham, infantas casaderas, la peste, asedios, hay batallas, intrigas, viajes imposibles a caballo, traiciones, y arte.
Y aunque un poco adornado, parece que todo es más o menos verosimil, y el autor hace que entendamos las guerras en Flandes, el uso del arte como moneda de prestigio, la política Inglesa o Francesa al respecto, y a nuestro Pasmado Rey Planeta, perdido en su inseguridad política, pero consumido por su pasión artística.
Y todo ello escrito con un fino humor, muy sutil, y una ironía que se disfruta mucho.
Por poner algún ejemplo de lo que se cuenta, me encanta la historia sobre cuando Carlos I de Inglaterra tiene que decidir si enviar refuerzos militares al Duque de Buckingham -que a la sazón es probable que fuera el amante de su padre, Jacobo I- que andaba asediando a los Franceses, o comprar la colección de arte del duque de Mantua, ya que no tenía pasta para todo, optando por lo que todos hubiéramos hecho y dejando a Buckingham sin sus refuerzos, abandonado a su suerte y expuesto a una retirada terrible, lo que años más tarde llevará a un veterano herido de dicha batalla a apuñalar y matar al propio Buckingham como acto de despecho.
De ese rey cuenta también como se enamora de la infanta española por un retrato, años antes, y se viene a España, sin ser invitado y de incógnito, para intentar "enamorarla"...
O como el duque de Mantua mandaba a sus pintores, Rubens entre otros, a recorrer Europa pintando a las mujeres más bellas para su "gabinete de bellezas" y que no se perdía una orgía...
Todo muy loco y rocambolesco.
Este es de los libros en los que miras el reloj a las 2 de la mañana, y te prometes leer sólo hasta el final del capítulo, y cuando vuelves a mirar son las 3, y ya estás jodido...
La media estrella que se podría quedar en el tintero es porque hay unas 15 páginas en las que el autor da un poco de más detalle del necesario sobre una parte de la negociación con Inglaterra y Flandes y se hace un poco más denso, que no aburrido.
En resumen, que se podría leer casi como un novelón, y que se disfruta mucho, más todavía si conoces la pintura de Rubens, y algo de contexto del asombroso siglo XVII.
Para los frikis del arte y/o de la historia debería ser un "must".
July 27, 2013
I read this for the Fort Worth Kimball Museum’s book club. I knew next to nothing about 17th century history – just a little about the Stuarts, Cromwell, and the Great Fire – but not European doings. Now I know way more than I ever wanted. Some of it little came in handy when I was teaching early American literature this summer. One never knows what random information one may pick up that might come in handy at the most unexpected times.
The audience for this book would, I think, be readers who want to know more about political history and art history. It is not for the casual reader; it is not light reading. Also, I have the paperback edition with few illustrations – all in black and white. I don’t know whether the hardback would have more painting, and in color. I was lucky enough to have Rembrandt’s Eyes by Simon Schama, which is chock full of Ruben’s paintings mentioned in Master of Shadows.
I was also relatively unfamiliar with Rubens. I knew the name, of course, but his paintings are not as ubiquitous as are those of Monet, Rembrandt, Botticelli, or Munch. Chances are, you, like myself, are much better acquainted with the adjective than the work of the painter. Few people can cite a Rubens painting by name, but “Rubenesque” has become a synonym for any amply proportioned female. Rubens has fallen out of style and is now thought of as an Old World master of a painting style—symbolic representation, heavy on Greek and biblical references—that we now think of as musty and antiquated. High Baroque, the style in which he painted, is nowadays synonymous with pointless complexity. After all, how many modern museum-strollers have the time to invest in all of the reference books needed to make sense of his allegories? But despite the one-dimensionality associated with the painter’s name, here’s a book that puts Rubens in a whole other frame.
Peter Paul Rubens got more done in one day than most of us get done in a lifetime. Rubens wasn’t content with merely being, conceivably, the world’s greatest painter during his lifetime. Instead, he filled his resume with an impressive array of occupations. Like superspy, for one—in addition to treaty negotiator, statesman, wealthy landowner, antiquities dealer, and factory head.
Rubens the politico-spy is just one of his many pursuits that surface in Master of Shadows, but it’s perhaps the least likely, given what was regarded as an artist’s lack of prospects when it came to upward mobility in the 16th and 17th centuries. Painters had a relative low status in society and were viewed as manual laborers because they worked with their hands. They could, possibly, earn a fortune. Rubens certainly did, with many royal and ecclesiastical commissions, which he met, with the assistance of helpers and students executing large portions of the paintings that bore his name. Painters were rarely drafted into diplomatic service, despite what Mark Lamster cites as the most natural cover: they had the ear of kings, queens, dukes, and assorted courtiers.
Rubens was eventually put on military salary by the Spanish crown (which had dominion over his native Antwerp). He was handsome, affable, quick-witted, and a natural salesman and he knew when to keep his mouth shut. Lamster calls him “the perfect spy.” There’s no doubt that Rubens’s undertakings were useful to Europe’s volatile politics. Intrigue was everywhere, with one clandestine deal being canceled out by another, and a third in place as a fall-back.
Rubens worked primarily as an operative for the Spanish crown, which was engaged in a prolonged war with the emerging Dutch republic, a conflict that engulfed all of Europe's powers and involved the countries’ colonies. Rubens believed he could resolve this perpetual war, and he devoted several years of his life to this effort, risking all that he had achieved. He would arrange for a peace between Spain and England, with the expectation that England would then force its Dutch ally to compromise with Spain. It was a shrewd bit of strategic thinking, but it would not work unless Rubens could convince England and Spain, traditional enemies, to come to terms. Ultimately, Rubens did not succeed, although he was knighted by both Philip IV, King of Spain, and Charles I, King of England. One can see the sources of conflict in Europe that extend even to the 21st century. Lamster does a valuable job of sorting out the tangled politics of the Low Countries during what was a violent, complex, and energetic era. I was never entirely clear exactly what was going on, but I suspect the participants weren’t either.
Rubens was able to balance affairs of state with his personal business interests. He was not an agitator, at least externally; repeatedly browbeaten by various members of the nobility, the painter/spy worked ceaselessly to please, winning the favor of kings (such as Spain’s Philip IV) who had previously held his lack of a birthright against him.
Rubens approached negotiations as he might have approached a painting. That is, as a problem to be solved, requiring just the right balance of materials and techniques—shadow, color, and symbolism on the painting side of the equation; pointed reasons, financial assurances, and talk of shared interests at court.
We see Rubens’s political concerns feeding into his art, yielding it greater narrative scope. His early work evolved into a style where the relationship between metaphor and meaning became more direct. He had to make sure that his patrons understood precisely what his art was conveying. Satisfying human vanity went a long way in Rubens’s political career, and visualizing a king as a metaphorical god of justice and happiness, beloved of his flock, made for a favorable frame of mind when a favor was needed.
Mark Lamster’s affection for his subject is so complete and his research is so thorough that "Master of Shadows: The Secret Diplomatic Career of the Painter Peter Paul Rubens" manages to be generally engaging, instructive and thought-provoking. My occasional impatience arose, undoubtedly, from my overall lack of interest and experience with 17th century European history.
Lamster demonstrates the relationship between Rubens' diplomatic assignments and his important artistic commissions. The author also reveals Rubens to be an attractive and likable man who clearly interested and charmed those around him.
Lamster provides a portrait of a major painter at a time when artists were still fully integrated into the intellectual, social and political affairs of their time. For Ruben, the artist was very much a man of affairs -- well-educated, -traveled and -schooled in the social graces. Flemish painters, like their Italian counterparts, were members of respectable, even prestigious guilds. It's not hard to see how a man as self-possessed and as socially gifted as Rubens could find a role in high-level diplomacy.
The audience for this book would, I think, be readers who want to know more about political history and art history. It is not for the casual reader; it is not light reading. Also, I have the paperback edition with few illustrations – all in black and white. I don’t know whether the hardback would have more painting, and in color. I was lucky enough to have Rembrandt’s Eyes by Simon Schama, which is chock full of Ruben’s paintings mentioned in Master of Shadows.
I was also relatively unfamiliar with Rubens. I knew the name, of course, but his paintings are not as ubiquitous as are those of Monet, Rembrandt, Botticelli, or Munch. Chances are, you, like myself, are much better acquainted with the adjective than the work of the painter. Few people can cite a Rubens painting by name, but “Rubenesque” has become a synonym for any amply proportioned female. Rubens has fallen out of style and is now thought of as an Old World master of a painting style—symbolic representation, heavy on Greek and biblical references—that we now think of as musty and antiquated. High Baroque, the style in which he painted, is nowadays synonymous with pointless complexity. After all, how many modern museum-strollers have the time to invest in all of the reference books needed to make sense of his allegories? But despite the one-dimensionality associated with the painter’s name, here’s a book that puts Rubens in a whole other frame.
Peter Paul Rubens got more done in one day than most of us get done in a lifetime. Rubens wasn’t content with merely being, conceivably, the world’s greatest painter during his lifetime. Instead, he filled his resume with an impressive array of occupations. Like superspy, for one—in addition to treaty negotiator, statesman, wealthy landowner, antiquities dealer, and factory head.
Rubens the politico-spy is just one of his many pursuits that surface in Master of Shadows, but it’s perhaps the least likely, given what was regarded as an artist’s lack of prospects when it came to upward mobility in the 16th and 17th centuries. Painters had a relative low status in society and were viewed as manual laborers because they worked with their hands. They could, possibly, earn a fortune. Rubens certainly did, with many royal and ecclesiastical commissions, which he met, with the assistance of helpers and students executing large portions of the paintings that bore his name. Painters were rarely drafted into diplomatic service, despite what Mark Lamster cites as the most natural cover: they had the ear of kings, queens, dukes, and assorted courtiers.
Rubens was eventually put on military salary by the Spanish crown (which had dominion over his native Antwerp). He was handsome, affable, quick-witted, and a natural salesman and he knew when to keep his mouth shut. Lamster calls him “the perfect spy.” There’s no doubt that Rubens’s undertakings were useful to Europe’s volatile politics. Intrigue was everywhere, with one clandestine deal being canceled out by another, and a third in place as a fall-back.
Rubens worked primarily as an operative for the Spanish crown, which was engaged in a prolonged war with the emerging Dutch republic, a conflict that engulfed all of Europe's powers and involved the countries’ colonies. Rubens believed he could resolve this perpetual war, and he devoted several years of his life to this effort, risking all that he had achieved. He would arrange for a peace between Spain and England, with the expectation that England would then force its Dutch ally to compromise with Spain. It was a shrewd bit of strategic thinking, but it would not work unless Rubens could convince England and Spain, traditional enemies, to come to terms. Ultimately, Rubens did not succeed, although he was knighted by both Philip IV, King of Spain, and Charles I, King of England. One can see the sources of conflict in Europe that extend even to the 21st century. Lamster does a valuable job of sorting out the tangled politics of the Low Countries during what was a violent, complex, and energetic era. I was never entirely clear exactly what was going on, but I suspect the participants weren’t either.
Rubens was able to balance affairs of state with his personal business interests. He was not an agitator, at least externally; repeatedly browbeaten by various members of the nobility, the painter/spy worked ceaselessly to please, winning the favor of kings (such as Spain’s Philip IV) who had previously held his lack of a birthright against him.
Rubens approached negotiations as he might have approached a painting. That is, as a problem to be solved, requiring just the right balance of materials and techniques—shadow, color, and symbolism on the painting side of the equation; pointed reasons, financial assurances, and talk of shared interests at court.
We see Rubens’s political concerns feeding into his art, yielding it greater narrative scope. His early work evolved into a style where the relationship between metaphor and meaning became more direct. He had to make sure that his patrons understood precisely what his art was conveying. Satisfying human vanity went a long way in Rubens’s political career, and visualizing a king as a metaphorical god of justice and happiness, beloved of his flock, made for a favorable frame of mind when a favor was needed.
Mark Lamster’s affection for his subject is so complete and his research is so thorough that "Master of Shadows: The Secret Diplomatic Career of the Painter Peter Paul Rubens" manages to be generally engaging, instructive and thought-provoking. My occasional impatience arose, undoubtedly, from my overall lack of interest and experience with 17th century European history.
Lamster demonstrates the relationship between Rubens' diplomatic assignments and his important artistic commissions. The author also reveals Rubens to be an attractive and likable man who clearly interested and charmed those around him.
Lamster provides a portrait of a major painter at a time when artists were still fully integrated into the intellectual, social and political affairs of their time. For Ruben, the artist was very much a man of affairs -- well-educated, -traveled and -schooled in the social graces. Flemish painters, like their Italian counterparts, were members of respectable, even prestigious guilds. It's not hard to see how a man as self-possessed and as socially gifted as Rubens could find a role in high-level diplomacy.
December 22, 2021
Denna var fantastisk. Den utgår från Rubens som generalist, och speciellt då generalist med ett lokalpatriotiskt intresse, och utforskar hur hans karriär involverat gränslandet mellan politik, propaganda (i bemärkelsen "styrka för tron"), diplomati och hantverksmässig konst. Om man har något slags intresse av hur samhället samvarierar med och påverkas av det förtäckta våld som är politikens kärna, så kommer denna bok att värma en, för här har vi en gestalt som manifesterar hur individuellt mod, individuell ambition och individuell människokärlek kan påverka en epok, om än i liten skala. Jag kan inte tala nog varmt om boken ur denna aspekt.
September 13, 2025
A Darn Good Read
The title attracted me following a BBC documentary on the world’s great paintings and their creators. Initially thinking I was going to read about the painter and his works, it came as a pleasant surprise to find that Rubens also worked ‘in the shadows’ as a gifted diplomat.
This book is a tour de force on the artist, his genius, the times and mores within which he worked and how society functioned.
The research is evident and the result masterful.
The title attracted me following a BBC documentary on the world’s great paintings and their creators. Initially thinking I was going to read about the painter and his works, it came as a pleasant surprise to find that Rubens also worked ‘in the shadows’ as a gifted diplomat.
This book is a tour de force on the artist, his genius, the times and mores within which he worked and how society functioned.
The research is evident and the result masterful.
December 30, 2024
Great book with a big problem: 20 pages of notes at the end that are not referenced along the text.
June 1, 2011
If you know of Peter Paul Rubens the artist, you only know half the story. He also served as a diplomat and spy in the European circles of power. And, no, this is not fiction. He was instrumental in brokering a peace agreement between France and England over the Low Countries. The research is thorough and a little too detailed at times. If you love diplomacy (I mean really love diplomacy), international intrigue, and the lives of royalty, this book will take you behind the scenes, revealing an artist who not only would paint for kings and queens but also would be honored, knighted, and requested but the very forces that shaped Europe in the seventeenth century.
October 27, 2019
Peter Paul Rubens is often dismissed by the general public as painter of luscious , pearlescent , "rubenesque" bodies and muscular baroque explosions of color and enormity. We know him as the artist who satisfied the unhinged egos of the powerful , Maria of Medici of France, James I of England, Philip the III of Spain.. with allegorical masterpieces of layered meaning and mythological dimensions. His influence reached all the way to his detractors like Picasso who couldn't dismiss the genealogy of his "Guernika" to the all- encompassing "Consequences of War" by Rubens. He is also famous for his gigantic undertaking aided by an army of assistants ready to decorate a palace in weeks. What many people ignore is that Rubens was also a talented diplomat, probably the only bona-fide artist turned full time ambassador with some weight. It is an often repeated quote: "Beware of artists, they get everywhere." Nothing was more true than in the case of this baroque genius. This book aims to uncover some of the gaps in our understanding of Rubens diplomatic career.
To be quite frank, the books partially botches the job. It is a step by step account of Ruben's career as a diplomat, from his beginnings as an envoy to Spain from the court of Mantua, to his failed attempt to broker a Peace Treaty between Spain and England aiming to cement the peace in the Low Countries.
The book manages to make the story a plodding list of trips and embassies with barely any time for the wider context and stakes. Surely, most of the treaties and wars of the time have become footnotes in history but embedding the wider colonial and power conflicts into the text would have made wonders to create a bit more thrill in this narration of a very full and paradoxical life. Not to mention, the main power brokers come out either as simply arrogant or refined or impulsive but they are left wanting for more depth. What was Richelieu's vision for France? What was the power of the Council of Estate in Holland? Why was Spain such a clogged up machinery of coalitions and favorites? Why was Velazquez not influenced by Rubens art but very much so by his worldly success? Context is everything when you write about historical events and connect the biography with the larger picture.
So what do we learn? Often under the pretense of fulfilling a commission, authenticating art or gathering collections for his masters, Rubens engaged in endless diplomatic traveling and maneuvering in a time were this role was reserved to people of the highest pedigree (and often of the highest stupidity). The painter moved comfortably among the courts because of his exquisite education- he spoke several languages perfectly, often using Italian as his first choice- enormous wealth and profound knowledge of his clients tastes who could count on him to create a representation of themselves that exceeded modesty by several notches. However, Rubens often sat 'uncomfortably' in this role. He was Flemish -albeit born abroad while his father was getting in trouble in Siegen, Saxony- and his home was always Antwerp, a city that had seen a Golden Age until the endless conflicts with the Dutch (Flanders was unsteadily ruled by Spain and mostly Catholic while Holland was Protestant and aiming at independence from foreign powers.) put an end to its prosperity by blocking the artery of the river Scheldt. Through his correspondence, some things become clear: He was a discreet operator and quite perceptive, and quite honest within the limits of his job which was a rarer quality. He abhorred war and conflict and always tried his best to broker deals that would benefit the parts involved. He found ways to enjoy his time and fortune navigating the murky political waters and changing fortunes through a network of friends and associates. Rubens seemed to have also been quite moderate in his lifestyle even when his painting displayed a cornucopia of wanton behavior and excess. He did live in the lap of luxury with vast real estate holdings like his house in the Wapper which - heavily restored- still stands. He was happily married twice, the second time to the beautiful and young Hellena Fourment, a November-February marriage that raised some eyebrows but gave him four children. In other words, he couldn't be further removed from the myth of the impoverished tormented artist (like Caravaggio or Rembrant, much more popular today). We also learn a lot about the powerful elites bickering in Europe and shredding the continent apart -eerily very much like today.
It seems that Rubens has become buried in his own brush with power; the obscure meanings of his art baffle today's onlookers unaware of the ins and outs of biblical, mythological and political nuances; his subject matter of power as a God given right is so far removed from our notion of political power his lack of psychological depth is so unappealing to a modern audience used to expect inner drama, a soul-searching, identity laden, antagonistic or conceptual story that the qualities of Rubens as an artist dissipate. Even the Nazis re-interpreted him as a symbol of Aryan virility, go figure. But like then, it is really the mastery of his brush that tears the veil of baroque splendor and obfuscation of meaning. That is why I prefer his sketches to his Luxembourg Palace allegories, because that's where he shines as the man that brought the Italian masters to the north, sometimes literally , he knew a good thing when he saw it, as when he bought Caravaggio's 'Death of the Virgin" on behalf of Mantua after the rejection from the piece from the Roman establishment, in one full sweep.
To be quite frank, the books partially botches the job. It is a step by step account of Ruben's career as a diplomat, from his beginnings as an envoy to Spain from the court of Mantua, to his failed attempt to broker a Peace Treaty between Spain and England aiming to cement the peace in the Low Countries.
The book manages to make the story a plodding list of trips and embassies with barely any time for the wider context and stakes. Surely, most of the treaties and wars of the time have become footnotes in history but embedding the wider colonial and power conflicts into the text would have made wonders to create a bit more thrill in this narration of a very full and paradoxical life. Not to mention, the main power brokers come out either as simply arrogant or refined or impulsive but they are left wanting for more depth. What was Richelieu's vision for France? What was the power of the Council of Estate in Holland? Why was Spain such a clogged up machinery of coalitions and favorites? Why was Velazquez not influenced by Rubens art but very much so by his worldly success? Context is everything when you write about historical events and connect the biography with the larger picture.
So what do we learn? Often under the pretense of fulfilling a commission, authenticating art or gathering collections for his masters, Rubens engaged in endless diplomatic traveling and maneuvering in a time were this role was reserved to people of the highest pedigree (and often of the highest stupidity). The painter moved comfortably among the courts because of his exquisite education- he spoke several languages perfectly, often using Italian as his first choice- enormous wealth and profound knowledge of his clients tastes who could count on him to create a representation of themselves that exceeded modesty by several notches. However, Rubens often sat 'uncomfortably' in this role. He was Flemish -albeit born abroad while his father was getting in trouble in Siegen, Saxony- and his home was always Antwerp, a city that had seen a Golden Age until the endless conflicts with the Dutch (Flanders was unsteadily ruled by Spain and mostly Catholic while Holland was Protestant and aiming at independence from foreign powers.) put an end to its prosperity by blocking the artery of the river Scheldt. Through his correspondence, some things become clear: He was a discreet operator and quite perceptive, and quite honest within the limits of his job which was a rarer quality. He abhorred war and conflict and always tried his best to broker deals that would benefit the parts involved. He found ways to enjoy his time and fortune navigating the murky political waters and changing fortunes through a network of friends and associates. Rubens seemed to have also been quite moderate in his lifestyle even when his painting displayed a cornucopia of wanton behavior and excess. He did live in the lap of luxury with vast real estate holdings like his house in the Wapper which - heavily restored- still stands. He was happily married twice, the second time to the beautiful and young Hellena Fourment, a November-February marriage that raised some eyebrows but gave him four children. In other words, he couldn't be further removed from the myth of the impoverished tormented artist (like Caravaggio or Rembrant, much more popular today). We also learn a lot about the powerful elites bickering in Europe and shredding the continent apart -eerily very much like today.
It seems that Rubens has become buried in his own brush with power; the obscure meanings of his art baffle today's onlookers unaware of the ins and outs of biblical, mythological and political nuances; his subject matter of power as a God given right is so far removed from our notion of political power his lack of psychological depth is so unappealing to a modern audience used to expect inner drama, a soul-searching, identity laden, antagonistic or conceptual story that the qualities of Rubens as an artist dissipate. Even the Nazis re-interpreted him as a symbol of Aryan virility, go figure. But like then, it is really the mastery of his brush that tears the veil of baroque splendor and obfuscation of meaning. That is why I prefer his sketches to his Luxembourg Palace allegories, because that's where he shines as the man that brought the Italian masters to the north, sometimes literally , he knew a good thing when he saw it, as when he bought Caravaggio's 'Death of the Virgin" on behalf of Mantua after the rejection from the piece from the Roman establishment, in one full sweep.
July 21, 2023
Peter Paul Rubens was arguably one of the most accomplished painters of his time, but his parallel life as an influential courtier and diplomat is often sidelined. In his book on the subject, Mark Lamster gives readers an in-depth look into Rubens’ diplomatic career to mixed success.
Although this subject has the potential to be a fascinating and fast-paced thriller filled with both art and international intrigue in the European seventeenth century, Lamster gets mired in the muck of needlessly intricate detail.
The book introduces so many characters, events, dates, and places that it rapidly becomes difficult to keep track of what is going on, why it’s happening, and why the reader should care. Even for an art historian or enthusiast, this short book turns into a lengthy and sometimes tortured reading experience. Somehow, Rubens’ extraordinary talents in visual art and politics are reduced to a boring who’s who with little-to-no meaningful context.
Perhaps a more tightly considered exploration of one or two diplomatic assignments paired with examinations of associated artworks may have resulted in a better product.
Although this subject has the potential to be a fascinating and fast-paced thriller filled with both art and international intrigue in the European seventeenth century, Lamster gets mired in the muck of needlessly intricate detail.
The book introduces so many characters, events, dates, and places that it rapidly becomes difficult to keep track of what is going on, why it’s happening, and why the reader should care. Even for an art historian or enthusiast, this short book turns into a lengthy and sometimes tortured reading experience. Somehow, Rubens’ extraordinary talents in visual art and politics are reduced to a boring who’s who with little-to-no meaningful context.
Perhaps a more tightly considered exploration of one or two diplomatic assignments paired with examinations of associated artworks may have resulted in a better product.
November 30, 2017
Really fascinating book. Rubens was unique to me (as far as I have read) as he is the only painter I know of who was also a professional diplomat representing not just one nation but multiple nation states. In the baroque era where he was painting he was right at the center of where all royalty wanted to be..in HIS paintings. The fact that he used the art world to build relationships and connections with royalty and important figures all throughout Europe made this book even more interesting. Also on top of that he produced a prolific amount of art. From sketches to painting to busts to public celebrations Rubens really was everywhere. The fact he was so charismatic just makes his appeal even more astounding. He was traveling often as an artist while being a diplomat undercover. All the while chasing peace from a small club of royals who kept wanting to hire him...
July 25, 2020
The rating, to be fair, reflects my level of interest more than it is a commentary on the book. As the author points out, no contemporary artist could undertake the variety of tasks monarchs assigned Rubens and maintain the prodigious output of monumental works Rubens was able to produce. For the Rubens scholar or historian with specific interest in the time period, this is an impressive work reflecting dedicated research and scholarship. As I fall into neither of those categories, I found it challenging to maintain my interest and found myself skimming through portions. The reader, rather than the book, was found wanting.
July 17, 2019
The book is well-researched and well-written. Ultimately, though, I could find in myself no reason to care about the details and events of this man’s life. The title made it sound more interesting than I ultimately found it to be, and I never finished it. As I recall, it was very focused on the events, and said comparatively little about Rubens thought, how he viewed the world, or his personality. Certainly he did some interesting things, but a carefully catalogued timeline just wasn’t compelling to me at this time.
February 26, 2018
Of course the book gives you much information that helps you appreciate his art, but it also gives you a bird's eye view of a truly interesting part of Europe's history. Loved it. The pages with Chronology and the real life historical `cast of characters` at the end help keep you on track. Highly recommended. Enjoyed the book immensely and now can`t wait to re-visit Reubens' paintings around the world.
July 18, 2020
Too often, I found that when I was doing graduate work, there wasn't time to pursue research on some interesting period, person or event. This filled one of those gaps for me and it helped that the wife's undergraduate degree was Art History and that the youngest son taking an Art degree at Oregon at the same time. Love the details. Not as delightful as Massie's Peter the Great, but enjoyable and enlightening.
August 29, 2019
It is a terrific researched and eloquently narrated book, that joyously explains in lay terms to any scholar along too any laymen, with rudimentary interest in European politics and historical art.
Clearly identifying the world and art of Peter Paul Rubens and lovingly put in situ all the rational of the European weaving protagonists, with their respective canvases drawn up as a scrap book of Ruben's life and personality.
A magnificent and enjoyable read.
Clearly identifying the world and art of Peter Paul Rubens and lovingly put in situ all the rational of the European weaving protagonists, with their respective canvases drawn up as a scrap book of Ruben's life and personality.
A magnificent and enjoyable read.
February 3, 2018
Very interesting, with a lot of characters and history.
May 15, 2018
Maravilloso. Me ha durado una semana de viajes en el metro.
October 10, 2018
Muy didactica y amena biografia del gran Pedro Pablo Rubens para adentrarse luego en su vida y visitar Amberes
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2018
Miy buena biografia del gran pintor y diplomaticp Pedro Pablo Rubens
October 2, 2021
-gave to E2
June 27, 2025
Fantastic book! Learnt so much!
August 9, 2025
It was fine.
January 17, 2016
Rubens was a diplomat and spy?! Well, yeah, the best artists of his time were among the few who had the ears of nobility. So it's no surprise that a few of them took advantage of their station. Rubens apparently did so with little trepidation and a fair amount of sensitivity as engagingly suggested in this book which, by the by, provides a decent enough overview of Rubens-as-artist as well, adequately supported with color plates. Pretty much a "must read" for anyone intending to visit any one of the bazillion cathedrals in Flanders, most of which contain masterworks from Rubens or one of his contemporaries.
June 5, 2012
Interesting but didn't quite hit the right blend of historical and fiction for me.
I enjoy historical fiction as it is a chance to learn while being entertained. However, I found this book to have too much of the feel of a pure historical text, while still having enough fiction that I was often not entirely sure whether the bit I was reading was established fact or literary extrapolation.
That said, I still learnt a lot about both Rubens and the history of the time. It was a little dry at times though mostly entertaining.
I enjoy historical fiction as it is a chance to learn while being entertained. However, I found this book to have too much of the feel of a pure historical text, while still having enough fiction that I was often not entirely sure whether the bit I was reading was established fact or literary extrapolation.
That said, I still learnt a lot about both Rubens and the history of the time. It was a little dry at times though mostly entertaining.
May 13, 2012
An entertaining history of Ruben's career as a diplomat, intertwined with the story of his life and his career as a painter. The author does a decent job of explaining the extremely complex international politics of the period, which are a necessary backdrop to the diplomatic efforts. But to me, he does not succeed very well in getting us a better understanding of the man Rubens, despite occasional quotes from his letters. Perhaps because diplomatic missives are not, after all, the best medium in which to express one's thoughts.
May 8, 2022
Difficult and at times unbearably boring read in spite of the exciting topic. The author gives a lot of minor details and omits many important ones making it a necessary to google a lot of info on your own.
For example it would say "at the same time" without any reference to a year on a page. As a result I would have to deduce the "time" using the previous details and, again, google and learn about the events.
However, this very experience makes my process more of a learning and a research, after which the information really sticks forever. Great work and great topic.
For example it would say "at the same time" without any reference to a year on a page. As a result I would have to deduce the "time" using the previous details and, again, google and learn about the events.
However, this very experience makes my process more of a learning and a research, after which the information really sticks forever. Great work and great topic.
March 7, 2010
Light read - quite a lot of detail, and much of it was part of the story/drama of Rubens, but too much of a side-track at times. I liked learning about Flanders and the Spanish control of the area. Also, I enjoyed the insight into the lives of the people of the times. The Rubens art work was an integral part of the diplomacy story and helped me better appreciate the artist as a talented painter, negotiator, and business man.
August 1, 2011
I forgot to write a review when I first finished the book, so I'm going off of my memory. As a historian at heart, I absolutely loved the book. It delves deeply into the uncertain situation of Antwerp and the Low Countries during Rubens' life and shows how he was just as much a diplomat as a painter. I can imagine others complaining that the writing style is dry, but I found it engaging enough.
December 13, 2011
This book is very well written and researched. It is not about art. It is about diplomacy which the title tells us. The Problem I discovered is I really do not care about the dealings of major and minor aristocrats from 400 years ago. Perhaps if you are Dutch or Flemish or if you have a love of this period this book would be of interest, otherwise skip it.
August 16, 2012
A truly interesting read. How Rubens mixed politics (or diplomacy) into his preferred profession (painting), all for the prosperity of his beloved native Antwerp, was entirely new to me, and very well told. The book offers a solid story line and telling anecdotes, written with admiration and fascination.
December 30, 2016
Do you like underrated artists? Do you like 17-century Dutch history? If you answered yes to one or both of those questions, then you'll love this book! This is definitely a niche kind of topic, but I really find Dutch history fascinating. Less focused on Rubens as a painter, and more focused on his unique diplomatic career as he tried to foster peace between Spain and the Netherlands.
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