Anthony van Dyck - Biography

Born on 22nd March 1599, Sir Anthony Van Dyck was a Flemish painter He was born and bought up in a prosperous family in Antwerp. In a very early age his talent was visible to all. He was very much inclined towards art so he started studying painting in 1609 with Hendrick van Balen. By the year 1615 Anthony van Dyck became an independent painter. At the age of 15 he completed all his studies of art and became a complete painter. At a very early age he became the Chief Assistant of Peter Paul Rubens .

In 1620 Anthony van Dyck for the first time went to England to work for King James. But he worked only for 7 months and then he returned to Flanders. But in late 1621 he moved to Italy and in a time span of 6 years he learned Italian masters and became a successful portraitist. His success made him noblemen rather then ordinary men.

Although Anthony van Dyck traveled a lot to other cities but his base was Genoa In 1630 he became the court painter of England. His most famous works were the portraits of King Charles of England and his family . That painting was made with such elegance that it has dominance on English painting for the next 150 years. His biblical and mythological paintings also gained popularity among English arts.

In 1638 he married the daughter of Lord Ruthven . He had a mistress also named Margaret Lemon. He painted images of himself with his mistress also. Anthony van Dyck got a rapid success in England by painting full-portraits of King Charles, Queen Henrietta and their families . Before his death he gave finishing touch to most of his paintings and later his pupils completed them.

Anthony van Dyck was so talented that people used to call him a complete school of painting and he highly influenced English painting by his works. In 1941 this great painter died in London and at St. Paul’s cathedral he was buried with great respect and now a monument is there that keep all his memories alive.