Rubens’s workshop

This insightful volume explores the collaborative nature of Peter Paul Rubens’s prolific workshop, where assistants, apprentices, and fellow artists contributed to some of the most celebrated masterpieces of the 17th century. Far from being a solitary genius, Rubens was a brilliant organizer and mentor who led one of the most dynamic and efficient painting studios in early modern Europe.

Through a selection of key works from the Prado’s renowned collection, the catalog investigates the varying degrees of authorship present in Rubens’s paintings, offering readers a deeper understanding of how these collaborative masterpieces came into being. Scholarly essays examine the structure and function of the studio, the division of labor among artists, and the stylistic fingerprints that help distinguish between Rubens’s hand and that of his collaborators. A special conversation between painter Jacobo Alcalde Gibert and curator Alejandro Vergara offers a contemporary reflection on Rubens’s working methods.