Van Dyck, Sir Anthony

(born March 22, 1599, Antwerp, Belg.—died Dec. 9, 1641, London, Eng.) Flemish painter. Son of a well-to-do silk merchant, he was apprenticed to an Antwerp painter at 10. He soon came under the influence of Peter Paul Rubens, for his early works are painted in Rubens's Baroque style, though with darker and warmer colour, more abrupt chiaroscuro, and more angular figures. He was a master in the Antwerp artists' guild by 19, at which time he was also working with Rubens. He spent over five years in Italy (1621–27); on his return, he received many commissions for altarpieces and portraits. He also executed works on mythological subjects and was a fine draftsman and etcher, but he is chiefly known for his portraits, in which he idealized his models without sacrificing their individuality. In Britain in 1632, he was appointed court painter by Charles I. He gained a comfortable income from the many portraits he painted in Britain, and his life matched his clients' in luxury. His influence was pervasive and lasting; Flemish, Dutch, and German portraitists imitated his style and technique, and the 18th-century English portraitists, especially Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds, were deeply indebted to him.

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