02/06/2026
On May 30, 1640, Peter Paul Rubens passed away, and on June 2 he was laid to rest in St. James’ Church in Antwerp.
After a seven-year conservation and restoration campaign, the church can once again be admired in all its splendour. Rediscover this remarkable space and pay tribute to one of the greatest painters in history. ✨
Rubens’ burial chapel houses an extraordinary ensemble of artworks: from the Baroque altar designed by Antwerp sculptor Cornelis van Mildert to the marble sculpture of the Mater Dolorosa, attributed to Mechelen architect and sculptor Lucas Faydherbe — once a pupil of Rubens himself.
At the heart of the chapel is a work by Rubens’ own hand: ‘Virgin and Child Surrounded by Saints’ (c. 1630). He painted himself as Saint George: young, powerful and victorious. 🖼️
This is a Flemish Masters in Situ site. Discover unique artworks in the very places for which they were created.
There is no better place to experience Rubens than Antwerp — the city where the master lived, worked, and found his final resting place. ❤️
📷 1-3/ © Sigrid Spinnox, 4/ © CC-BY KIK-IRPA, Brussels, X185718